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{{ | {{Short description|Chinese video-focused social network}} | ||
{{other uses|Tik Tok (disambiguation)}} | |||
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} | ||
{{Infobox software | {{Infobox software | ||
| title = TikTok | | title = TikTok Pte. Ltd. | ||
| name = TikTok | | name = TikTok | ||
| logo = | | logo = [[File:TikTok logo.svg|220px]] | ||
| screenshot = TikTok.com Screenshot.png | | screenshot = TikTok.com Screenshot.png | ||
| screenshot size = | | screenshot size = 200px | ||
| caption = Screenshot of TikTok.com | | caption = Screenshot of TikTok.com homepage | ||
| developer = [[ByteDance]] | | developer = [[ByteDance]] | ||
| released = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2016|9}} <!-- This parameter is reserved for the software's earliest known release ONLY, DO NOT add any subsequent releases or developments; those are stated elsewhere in the article. | | released = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2016|9}} <!-- This parameter is reserved for the software's earliest known release ONLY, DO NOT add any subsequent releases or developments; those are stated elsewhere in the article. --> | ||
| ver layout = stacked | |||
| discontinued = No | | discontinued = No | ||
| latest release version = | | latest release version = {{multiple releases | ||
| | |branch1 = iOS/iPadOS | ||
| operating system = [[iOS]] | |version1 = 28.4.0 | ||
| | |date1 = {{Start date and age|2023|02|28}} | ||
| language | |branch2 = Android | ||
|version2 = 28.5.4 | |||
|date2 = {{Start date and age|2023|03|03}} | |||
}} | |||
| operating system = {{ubl|[[iOS 11]] or later|[[iPadOS]]|[[Android (operating system)|Android]]}} | |||
| replaces = [[musical.ly]] | |||
| language = {{hlist|[[Arabic]]|[[Bengali language|Bengali]]|[[Burmese language|Burmese]]|[[Cebuano language|Cebuano]]|Chinese ([[Traditional Chinese|traditional]] and [[Simplified Chinese|simplified]])|[[Croatian language|Croatian]]|[[Czech language|Czech]]|[[Dutch language|Dutch]]|[[English language|English]]|[[Filipino language|Filipino]]|[[French language|French]]|[[German language|German]]|[[Greek language|Greek]]|[[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]|[[Hindi]]|[[Hungarian language|Hungarian]]|[[Indonesian language|Indonesian]]|[[Italian language|Italian]]|[[Japanese language|Japanese]]|[[Javanese language|Javanese]]|[[Kannada]]|[[Khmer language|Khmer]]|[[Korean language|Korean]]|[[Latvian language|Latvian]]|[[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]]|[[Malay language|Malay]]|[[Malayalam]]|[[Marathi language|Marathi]]|[[Odia language|Odia]]|[[Polish language|Polish]]|[[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]|[[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]|[[Romanian language|Romanian]]|[[Russian language|Russian]]|[[Spanish language|Spanish]]|[[Swedish language|Swedish]]|[[Tamil language|Tamil]]|[[Telugu language|Telugu]]|[[Thai language|Thai]]|[[Turkish language|Turkish]]|[[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]]|[[Vietnamese language|Vietnamese]]}} | |||
| language count = 40 | | language count = 40 | ||
| language footnote = <ref name="tunes">{{cite web|title=TikTok | | language footnote = <ref name="tunes">{{cite web|title=TikTok – Make Your Day|url=https://itunes.apple.com/app/tiktok-real-short-videos/id835599320|work=[[iTunes]]|access-date=3 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503083727/https://itunes.apple.com/app/tiktok-real-short-videos/id835599320|archive-date=3 May 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> | ||
| genre = [[Video hosting service|Video sharing]] | | genre = [[Video hosting service|Video sharing]] | ||
| license = [[Proprietary software]] with [https://www.tiktok.com/legal/terms-of-use Terms of Use] | | license = [[Proprietary software]] with [https://www.tiktok.com/legal/terms-of-use Terms of Use] | ||
| website = {{URL|https://www. | | website = {{official URL}} | ||
}} | |||
{{Infobox software | |||
| name = Douyin | |||
| logo = [[File:Douyin logo.svg|154px]] | |||
| screenshot = | |||
| screenshot size = | |||
| caption = | |||
| developer = Beijing Microlive Vision Technology Co., Ltd | |||
| released = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2016|9|20}} <!-- This parameter is reserved for the software's earliest known release ONLY, DO NOT add any subsequent releases or developments; those are stated elsewhere in the article. --> | |||
| ver layout = stacked | |||
| discontinued = No | |||
| latest release version = {{multiple releases | |||
|branch1 = iOS/iPadOS | |||
|version1 = 24.4.0 | |||
|date1 = {{Start date and age|2023|03|01}} | |||
|branch2 = Android | |||
|version2 = 24.6.0 | |||
|date2 = {{Start date and age|2023|03|14}} | |||
|branch3 = Windows | |||
|version3 = 2.0.0 | |||
|date3 = {{Start date and age|2023|03|07}} | |||
|branch4 = macOS | |||
|version4 = 2.0.0 | |||
|date4 = {{Start date and age|2023|03|07}} | |||
}} | |||
| operating system = {{ubl|[[iOS 11]] and later|[[iPadOS 11]] and later|[[Android 5.0]] and later|[[Windows 7]] and later|[[macOS 10.13]] and later}} | |||
| replaces = | |||
| language = [[Simplified Chinese]], [[English language|English]] | |||
| genre = [[Video hosting service|Video sharing]] | |||
| license = [[Proprietary software]] with [https://www.douyin.com/agreement Agreement] | |||
| language count = 2 | |||
| language footnote = <ref>{{cite web |title=抖音 |url=https://apps.apple.com/cn/app/id1142110895/ |website=App Store |access-date=15 March 2023}}</ref> | |||
| website = {{URL|https://douyin.com}} | |||
}} | }} | ||
{{Infobox Chinese | {{Infobox Chinese | ||
|title=Douyin | | title = Douyin | ||
|c=抖音 | | c = 抖音 | ||
|p=Dǒuyīn | | p = Dǒuyīn | ||
|mi={{IPAc-cmn|d|ou|3|.|yin|1}} | | mi = {{IPAc-cmn|d|ou|3|.|yin|1}} | ||
|l=" | | l = "Vibrating sound" | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''TikTok''', | '''TikTok''', whose mainland Chinese counterpart is '''Douyin'''<ref name="citizenlab/tiktok-douyin">{{cite journal |last1=Lin |first1=Pellaeon |date=22 March 2021 |title=TikTok vs Douyin: A Security and Privacy Analysis |url=https://citizenlab.ca/2021/03/tiktok-vs-douyin-security-privacy-analysis/ |access-date=5 January 2023 |website=[[Citizen Lab]]}}</ref> ({{Lang-zh|s=抖音|p=Dǒuyīn}}), is a [[Video clip|short-form video]] [[Online video platform|hosting service]] owned by [[ByteDance]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Isaac |first=Mike |date=2020-10-08 |title=U.S. Appeals Injunction Against TikTok Ban |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/08/technology/us-appeals-injunction-against-tiktok-ban.html |url-status=live |access-date=2020-10-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201207164452/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/08/technology/us-appeals-injunction-against-tiktok-ban.html |archive-date=7 December 2020 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from 3 seconds to 10 minutes.<ref name="3 Minutes">{{cite news |last=Kastrenakes |first=Jacob |date=1 July 2021 |title=TikTok is rolling out longer videos to everyone |work=[[The Verge]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]] |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/7/1/22558856/tiktok-videos-three-minutes-length |access-date=1 July 2021}}</ref> | ||
Since their launches, TikTok and Douyin have gained global popularity.<ref>{{cite web |last=Geyser |first=Werner |date=11 January 2019 |title=50 TikTok Stats That Will Blow Your Mind [Updated 2020] |url=https://influencermarketinghub.com/tiktok-stats/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604073536/https://influencermarketinghub.com/tiktok-stats/ |archive-date=4 June 2020 |access-date=27 May 2020 |website=Influencer Marketing Hub}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Sachwani |first=Anusha |date=February 15, 2019 |title=TikTok Downloads: Countries with Most User Base Revealed! |url=https://www.brandsynario.com/tik-tok-download/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220043546/https://www.brandsynario.com/tik-tok-download/ |archive-date=20 December 2019 |access-date=27 May 2020 |website=Brandsynario}}</ref> In October 2020, TikTok surpassed 2 billion mobile downloads worldwide.<ref>{{cite web |last=Carman |first=Ashley |date=2020-04-29 |title=TikTok reaches 2 billion downloads |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/29/21241788/tiktok-app-download-numbers-update-2-billion-users |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729003408/https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/29/21241788/tiktok-app-download-numbers-update-2-billion-users |archive-date=29 July 2020 |access-date=2020-10-12 |website=[[The Verge]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=April 22, 2020 |title=2020年春季报告：抖音用户规模达5.18亿人次，女性用户占比57% |trans-title=2020 Spring Report: Douyin has 518 million users, 57% of whom are female |url=https://games.sina.cn/cyfw/cyxw/2020-04-22/detail-iirczymi7765035.d.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822023650/https://games.sina.cn/cyfw/cyxw/2020-04-22/detail-iirczymi7765035.d.html |archive-date=22 August 2020 |access-date=6 August 2020 |language=zh}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Shahzad |first1=Asif |last2=Ahmad |first2=Jibran |date=2021-03-11 |title=Pakistan to block social media app TikTok over 'indecency' complaint |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-socialmedia-tiktok-idUSKBN2B329C |url-status=live |access-date=2021-03-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210312045423/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-socialmedia-tiktok-idUSKBN2B329C |archive-date=12 March 2021}}</ref> [[Morning Consult]] named TikTok the third-fastest growing brand of 2020, after [[Zoom (software)|Zoom]] and [[Peacock (streaming service)|Peacock]].<ref>{{cite web|title=The Fastest Growing Brands of 2020|url=https://morningconsult.com/fastest-growing-brands-2020/|access-date=2021-02-07|website=Morning Consult|archive-date=27 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127083659/https://morningconsult.com/fastest-growing-brands-2020/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Cloudflare]] ranked TikTok the most popular website of 2021, surpassing [[Google Search|Google]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/tiktok-surpasses-google-popular-website-year-new-data-suggests-rcna9648 |title=TikTok surpasses Google as most popular website of the year, new data suggests |work=NBC News |date=22 December 2021 |access-date=7 January 2022 }}</ref> | |||
== Corporate structure == | |||
ByteDance, based in [[Beijing]], and its subsidiary TikTok Ltd were incorporated in the [[Cayman Islands]]. ByteDance is owned by its founders and Chinese investors (20%), other global investors (60%), and employees (20%).<ref name=Goujard2023 /> TikTok Ltd owns four entities that are based respectively in the United States, Australia (which also runs the New Zealand business), United Kingdom (also owns subsidiaries in the [[European Union]]), and Singapore (owns operations in Southeast Asia and India).<ref>{{cite web|last=Campo|first=Richard|title=Is TikTok a national security threat?|date=24 July 2023|website=Chicago Policy Review|url=https://chicagopolicyreview.org/2023/07/26/is-tiktok-a-national-security-threat/}}</ref><ref name=cnbc2020>{{cite news|last=Shead|first=Sam|title=What a TikTok exec told the British government about the app that we didn't already know|date=8 October 2020|publisher=CNBC|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/23/what-tiktok-told-the-uk-government-about-the-app-that-we-didnt-know.html}}</ref> | |||
In April 2021, a [[state-owned enterprise]] owned by the [[Cyberspace Administration of China]] and [[China Media Group]], the [[China Internet Investment Fund]], purchased a 1% stake in ByteDance's main Chinese entity.<ref>{{Cite news |date=16 August 2021 |title=Beijing takes stake, board seat in ByteDance's key China entity - The Information |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/bytedance-says-china-unit-holds-local-licences-response-media-report-2021-08-16/ |url-status=live |access-date=16 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816152918/https://www.reuters.com/technology/bytedance-says-china-unit-holds-local-licences-response-media-report-2021-08-16/ |archive-date=16 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=18 August 2021 |title=China state firms invest in TikTok sibling, Weibo chat app |work=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://apnews.com/article/technology-joe-biden-business-china-51135a4c6ff4fd7ee80b4c94652b9ed5 |url-status=live |access-date=19 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210818210541/https://apnews.com/article/technology-joe-biden-business-china-51135a4c6ff4fd7ee80b4c94652b9ed5 |archive-date=18 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Whalen |first=Jeanne |date=17 August 2021 |title=Chinese government acquires stake in domestic unit of TikTok owner ByteDance in another sign of tech crackdown |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/08/17/chinese-government-bytedance-tiktok/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817183620/https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/08/17/chinese-government-bytedance-tiktok/ |archive-date=17 August 2021 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Feng |first=Coco |date=August 17, 2021 |title=Chinese government takes minority stake, board seat in TikTok owner ByteDance's main domestic subsidiary |work=[[South China Morning Post]] |url=https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3145362/chinese-government-takes-minority-stake-board-seat-tiktok-owner |access-date=September 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210817132235/https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3145362/chinese-government-takes-minority-stake-board-seat-tiktok-owner |archive-date=August 17, 2021}}</ref><ref name=":22">{{Cite news |date=2021-11-18 |title=China's communist authorities are tightening their grip on the private sector |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |url=https://www.economist.com/business/chinas-communist-authorities-reinvent-state-capitalism/21806311 |url-status=live |access-date=2021-11-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122040933/https://www.economist.com/business/chinas-communist-authorities-reinvent-state-capitalism/21806311 |archive-date=22 November 2021 |issn=0013-0613}}</ref> ''[[The Economist]],'' [[Reuters]], and ''Financial Times'' have described the Chinese government's stake as a [[golden share]] investment.<ref name=":22" /><ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-12-15 |title=Fretting about data security, China's government expands its use of 'golden shares' |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/china-regulation-data-idCAKBN2IU2B7 |url-status=live |access-date=2022-02-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224043509/https://www.reuters.com/article/china-regulation-data-idCAKBN2IU2B7 |archive-date=24 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-01-13 |title=China moves to take 'golden shares' in Alibaba and Tencent units |work=[[Financial Times]] |url=https://www.ft.com/content/65e60815-c5a0-4c4a-bcec-4af0f76462de |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-02-22}}</ref> | |||
===Douyin=== | |||
{{Redirect-distinguish|Douyin|doujin}} | |||
Douyin was launched by ByteDance in September 2016, originally under the name A.me, before rebranding to Douyin ({{lang|zh|抖音}}) in December 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1001728/the-app-that-launched-a-thousand-memes|title=The App That Launched a Thousand Memes {{!}} Sixth Tone|date=20 February 2018|work=Sixth Tone|access-date=2 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180223191256/http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1001728/the-app-that-launched-a-thousand-memes|archive-date=23 February 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://jingdaily.com/douyin-luxury-brands/|title=Is Douyin the Right Social Video Platform for Luxury Brands? {{!}} Jing Daily|date=11 March 2018|work=Jing Daily|access-date=30 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190915044636/https://jingdaily.com/douyin-luxury-brands/|archive-date=15 September 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Douyin was developed in 200 days and within a year had 100 million users, with more than one billion videos viewed every day.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://walkthechat.com/douyin-became-chinas-top-short-video-app-500-days/|title=How Douyin became China's top short-video App in 500 days|last=Graziani|first=Thomas|date=30 July 2018|website=WalktheChat |access-date=3 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329025317/https://walkthechat.com/douyin-became-chinas-top-short-video-app-500-days/|archive-date=29 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://technode.com/2018/06/15/8-lessons-douyin/|title=8 Lessons from the rise of Douyin (Tik Tok) · TechNode|date=15 June 2018|website=TechNode |access-date=3 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190311192049/https://technode.com/2018/06/15/8-lessons-douyin/|archive-date=11 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
While TikTok and Douyin share a similar [[user interface]], the platforms operate separately.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-03-24 |title=TikTok is owned by a Chinese company. So why doesn't it exist there? |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/24/tech/tiktok-douyin-bytedance-china-intl-hnk/index.html |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=[[CNN]] |language=en}}</ref><ref name="citizenlab/tiktok-douyin" /><ref>{{cite news |date=16 May 2019 |title=Forget The Trade War. TikTok Is China's Most Important Export Right Now. |work=[[BuzzFeed News]] |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanhatesthis/forget-the-trade-war-tiktok-is-chinas-most-important-export |url-status=live |access-date=24 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524023340/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/ryanhatesthis/forget-the-trade-war-tiktok-is-chinas-most-important-export |archive-date=24 May 2019}}</ref> Douyin includes an in-video search feature that can search by people's faces for more videos of them, along with other features such as buying, booking hotels, and making [[Geotagging|geo-tagged]] reviews.<ref>{{cite web |last=Niewenhuis |first=Lucas |date=2019-09-25 |title=The difference between TikTok and Douyin |url=https://supchina.com/2019/09/25/the-difference-between-tiktok-and-douyin/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927210034/https://supchina.com/2019/09/25/the-difference-between-tiktok-and-douyin/ |archive-date=27 September 2020 |access-date=2020-10-12 |website=SupChina}}</ref> | |||
== History == | |||
=== Evolution === | |||
ByteDance planned on Douyin expanding overseas. The founder of ByteDance, Zhang Yiming, stated that "China is home to only one-fifth of Internet users globally. If we don't expand on a global scale, we are bound to lose to peers eyeing the four-fifths. So, going global is a must."<ref>{{Cite web |title=TikTok's Rise to Global Markets |url=https://hbsp.harvard.edu/product/W19666-PDF-ENG |access-date=2023-07-17 |website=hbsp.harvard.edu}}</ref> | |||
The app was launched as TikTok in the international market in September 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://en.prnasia.com/releases/apac/Tik_Tok_a_Global_Music_Video_Platform_and_Social_Network_Launches_in_Indonesia-187963.shtml|title=Tik Tok, a Global Music Video Platform and Social Network, Launches in Indonesia|access-date=30 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615111648/https://en.prnasia.com/releases/apac/Tik_Tok_a_Global_Music_Video_Platform_and_Social_Network_Launches_in_Indonesia-187963.shtml|archive-date=15 June 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> On 23 January 2018, the TikTok app ranked first among free application downloads on [[app store]]s in [[Thailand]] and other countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thailand.shafaqna.com/EN/TH/738296|title=Tik Tok, Global Short Video Community launched in Thailand with the latest AI feature, GAGA Dance Machine The very first short video app with a new function based on AI technology|website=thailand.shafaqna.com|access-date=15 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180310010511/http://thailand.shafaqna.com/EN/TH/738296|archive-date=10 March 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
TikTok has been downloaded more than 130 million times in the [[United States]] and has reached 2 billion downloads worldwide,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carman |first1=Ashley |title=TikTok reaches 2 billion downloads |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/29/21241788/tiktok-app-download-numbers-update-2-billion-users |website=The Verge |access-date=1 August 2020 |date=29 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729003408/https://www.theverge.com/2020/4/29/21241788/tiktok-app-download-numbers-update-2-billion-users |archive-date=29 July 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Doyle |first1=Brandon |title=TikTok Statistics - Everything You Need to Know [Sept 2020 Update] |url=https://wallaroomedia.com/blog/social-media/tiktok-statistics/#:~:text=Total%20App%20Downloads%20%E2%80%93%20The%20TikTok,Tower%200n%20April%2029%2C%202020. |website=Wallaroo Media |access-date=21 November 2020 |date=6 October 2020 |archive-date=6 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200806153343/https://wallaroomedia.com/blog/social-media/tiktok-statistics/#:~:text=Total%20App%20Downloads%20%E2%80%93%20The%20TikTok,Tower%200n%20April%2029%2C%202020. |url-status=live }}</ref> according to data from mobile research firm Sensor Tower (those numbers exclude Android users in China).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/11/21/tech/tiktok-app/index.html|title=TikTok is the latest social network sensation|last=Yurieff|first=Kaya|date=21 November 2018|website=Cnn.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190104123943/https://edition.cnn.com/2018/11/21/tech/tiktok-app/index.html|archive-date=4 January 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In the United States, celebrities, including [[Jimmy Fallon]] and [[Tony Hawk]], began using the app in 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/15/18095446/tiktok-jimmy-fallon-tony-hawk-downloads-revenue|title=TikTok surges past 6M downloads in the US as celebrities join the app|last=Alexander|first=Julia|date=15 November 2018|website=The Verge|access-date=3 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181224105355/https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/15/18095446/tiktok-jimmy-fallon-tony-hawk-downloads-revenue|archive-date=24 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/tiktok-jimmy-fallon-musically-app-downloads-1203032629/|title=TikTok App Nears 80 Million U.S. Downloads After Phasing Out Musical.ly, Lands Jimmy Fallon as Fan|last=Spangler|first=Todd|date=20 November 2018|website=Variety |access-date=3 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190102085913/https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/tiktok-jimmy-fallon-musically-app-downloads-1203032629/|archive-date=2 January 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Other celebrities, including [[Jennifer Lopez]], [[Jessica Alba]], [[Will Smith]], and [[Justin Bieber]] joined TikTok as well as many others.<ref>{{cite news|title=A-Rod & J.Lo, Reese Witherspoon and the Rest of the A-List Celebs You Should Be Following on TikTok|url=https://people.com/celebrity/celebrities-on-tiktok/|newspaper=People |access-date=27 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528054649/https://people.com/celebrity/celebrities-on-tiktok/|archive-date=28 May 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In January 2019, TikTok allowed creators to embed merchandise sale links into their videos.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Yuan |first1=Lin |last2=Xia |first2=Hao |last3=Ye |first3=Qiang |date=2022-08-16 |title=The effect of advertising strategies on a short video platform: evidence from TikTok |url=https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/IMDS-12-2021-0754/full/html |journal=Industrial Management & Data Systems |language=en |volume=122 |issue=8 |pages=1956–1974 |doi=10.1108/IMDS-12-2021-0754 |s2cid=251508287 |issn=0263-5577}}</ref> | |||
On 3 September 2019, TikTok and the U.S. [[National Football League]] (NFL) announced a multi-year partnership.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://social.techcrunch.com/2019/09/03/the-nfl-joins-tiktok-in-multi-year-partnership/ |title=The NFL joins TikTok in multi-year partnership |website=TechCrunch |date=3 September 2019 |access-date=5 September 2019 |archive-date=22 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822023621/https://techcrunch.com/2019/09/03/the-nfl-joins-tiktok-in-multi-year-partnership/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The agreement occurred just two days before the NFL's 100th season kick-off at [[Soldier Field]], where TikTok hosted activities for fans in honor of the deal. The partnership entails the launch of an official NFL TikTok account, which is to bring about new marketing opportunities such as sponsored videos and [[Internet challenge|hashtag challenges]]. In July 2020, TikTok, excluding Douyin, reported close to 800 million monthly active users worldwide after less than four years of existence.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|date=2019-01-11|title=50 TikTok Stats That Will Blow Your Mind in 2020 [UPDATED ]|url=https://influencermarketinghub.com/tiktok-stats/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604073536/https://influencermarketinghub.com/tiktok-stats/|archive-date=4 June 2020|access-date=2020-10-12|website=Influencer Marketing Hub}}</ref> | |||
In May 2021, TikTok appointed [[Shou Zi Chew]] as their new CEO<ref>{{cite web|title=TikTok Names ByteDance CFO Shou Zi Chew as New CEO|url=https://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/tiktok-ceo-shou-zi-chew-bytedance-cfo-singapore-kevin-mayer-2425785|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501165549/https://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/tiktok-ceo-shou-zi-chew-bytedance-cfo-singapore-kevin-mayer-2425785|archive-date=1 May 2021|access-date=2021-05-01|website=NDTV Gadgets 360|date=May 2021 }}</ref> who assumed the position from interim CEO Vanessa Pappas, following the resignation of Kevin A. Mayer on 27 August 2020.<ref>{{cite news|author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.-->|date=27 August 2020|title=TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer quits after 4 months|work=Fortune (magazine)|publisher=Bloomberg News|url=https://fortune.com/2020/08/27/tiktok-ceo-kevin-mayer-quits-us-sale|url-status=live|access-date=27 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025121635/https://fortune.com/2020/08/27/tiktok-ceo-kevin-mayer-quits-us-sale/|archive-date=25 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Zeitchik|first=Steven|date=18 May 2020|title=In surprise move, a top Disney executive will run TikTok|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/05/18/kevin-mayer-disney-tiktok/|url-status=live|access-date=22 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200625210032/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/05/18/kevin-mayer-disney-tiktok/|archive-date=25 June 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2020-08-28|title=Australian appointed interim chief executive of TikTok|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-28/australian-vanessa-pappas-appointed-tiktok-interim-ceo/12606814|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201224221805/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-28/australian-vanessa-pappas-appointed-tiktok-interim-ceo/12606814|archive-date=24 December 2020|access-date=2020-10-15|newspaper=ABC News}}</ref> | |||
In September 2021, TikTok reported that it had reached 1 billion users.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lyons|first=Kim|date=27 September 2021|title=TikTok says it has passed 1 billion users|url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/9/27/22696281/tiktok-1-billion-users|access-date=20 October 2021|website=The Verge}}</ref> In 2021, TikTok earned $4 billion in advertising revenue.<ref>{{cite news |date=2022-07-09 |title=The all-conquering quaver |url=https://www.economist.com/interactive/briefing/2022/07/09/the-all-conquering-quaver |newspaper=[[The Economist]]}}</ref> | |||
In October 2022, TikTok was reported to be planning an expansion into the [[e-commerce]] market in the US, following the launch of TikTok Shop in the [[United Kingdom]]. The company posted job listings for staff for a series of order fulfillment centers in the US and is reportedly planning to start the new live shopping business before the end of the year.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Belanger |first1=Ashley |title=TikTok wants to be Amazon, plans US fullfillment centers and poaches staff |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/10/tiktok-wants-to-be-amazon-plans-us-fullfillment-centers-and-poaches-staff/ |website=ArsTechnica |date=12 October 2022 |access-date=13 October 2022}}</ref> | |||
According to data from app analytics group Sensor Tower, advertising on TikTok in the US grew by 11% in March 2023, with companies including [[PepsiCo|Pepsi]], [[DoorDash]], [[Amazon (company)|Amazon]] and [[Apple Inc.|Apple]] among the top spenders. According to estimates from research group Insider Intelligence, TikTok is projected to generate $14.15 billion in revenue in 2023, up from $9.89 billion in 2022.<ref>{{cite news |title=Brands increase TikTok spending despite threat of US ban |url=https://www.ft.com/content/b91aceb7-3416-4f52-b9de-66988c6c8b0c |agency=Financial Times |date=2023}}</ref> | |||
=== Musical.ly merger === | |||
{{Further|Musical.ly}} | |||
On 9 November 2017, TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, spent nearly $1 billion to purchase musical.ly, a startup headquartered in [[Shanghai]] with an overseas office in [[Santa Monica, California|Santa Monica]], [[California]], U.S.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/lip-syncing-app-musical-ly-is-acquired-for-as-much-as-1-billion-1510278123|title=Social-Media App Musical.ly Is Acquired for as Much as $1 Billion|last1=Lin|first1=Liza|last2=Winkler|first2=Rolfe|date=9 November 2017|website=wsj.com|access-date=7 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401173155/https://www.wsj.com/articles/lip-syncing-app-musical-ly-is-acquired-for-as-much-as-1-billion-1510278123|archive-date=1 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="BusinessInsider">{{Cite news|url=http://uk.businessinsider.com/social-video-app-musically-acquired-for-up-to-1-billion-2017-11?r=US&IR=T|title=Social video app Musical.ly acquired for up to $1 billion|work=Business Insider|access-date=5 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905175724/http://uk.businessinsider.com/social-video-app-musically-acquired-for-up-to-1-billion-2017-11?r=US&IR=T|archive-date=5 September 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Musical.ly was a social media video platform that allowed users to create short lip-sync and comedy videos, initially released in August 2014. TikTok merged with musical.ly on 2 August 2018 with existing accounts and data consolidated into one app, keeping the title TikTok.<ref>{{cite web|last=Lee|first=Dami|date=2 August 2018|title=The popular Musical.ly app has been rebranded as TikTok|url=https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/2/17644260/musically-rebrand-tiktok-bytedance-douyin|access-date=21 October 2020|archive-date=30 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201230132224/https://www.theverge.com/2018/8/2/17644260/musically-rebrand-tiktok-bytedance-douyin|url-status=live}}</ref> This ended musical.ly and made TikTok a worldwide app, excluding China, since China already had Douyin.<ref name="BusinessInsider" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/musically-is-going-away-users-to-be-shifted-to-bytedance-e2-80-99s-tiktok-video-app/ar-BBLovl1|title=Musical.ly Is Going Away: Users to Be Shifted to Bytedance's TikTok Video App|website=msn.com|access-date=13 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190328142054/https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/musically-is-going-away-users-to-be-shifted-to-bytedance-e2-80-99s-tiktok-video-app/ar-BBLovl1|archive-date=28 March 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://beebom.com/musical-ly-app-to-be-shut-down-users-will-be-migrated-to-tiktok/|title=Musical.ly App To Be Shut Down, Users Will Be Migrated to TikTok|last=Kundu|first=Kishalaya|date=2 August 2018|website=Beebom|access-date=30 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191005154207/https://beebom.com/musical-ly-app-to-be-shut-down-users-will-be-migrated-to-tiktok/|archive-date=5 October 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
=== Expansion in other markets === | |||
TikTok was downloaded over 104 million times on Apple's [[App Store (iOS/iPadOS)|App Store]] during the first half of 2018, according to data provided to [[CNBC]] by Sensor Tower.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chen |first1=Qian |title=The biggest trend in Chinese social media is dying, and another has already taken its place |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/19/short-video-apps-like-douyin-tiktok-are-dominating-chinese-screens.html |website=CNBC |date=19 September 2018 |access-date=18 January 2022}}</ref> | |||
After merging with musical.ly in August, downloads increased and TikTok became the most downloaded app in the U.S. in October 2018, which musical.ly had done once before.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://en.prnasia.com/story/187963-0.shtml|title=Tik Tok, a Global Music Video Platform and Social Network, Launches in Indonesia-PR Newswire APAC|website=en.prnasia.com|access-date=5 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170925203535/http://en.prnasia.com/story/187963-0.shtml|archive-date=25 September 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://walkthechat.com/douyin-became-chinas-top-short-video-app-500-days/|title=How Douyin became China's top short-video App in 500 days – WalktheChat|date=25 February 2018|work=WalktheChat|access-date=15 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190329025317/https://walkthechat.com/douyin-became-chinas-top-short-video-app-500-days/|archive-date=29 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> In February 2019, TikTok, together with Douyin, hit one billion downloads globally, excluding Android installs in China.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://sensortower.com/ios/publisher/publisher/1322881000|title=TikTok Pte. Ltd.|work=Sensortower|access-date=24 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524013144/https://sensortower.com/ios/publisher/publisher/1322881000|archive-date=24 May 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2019, media outlets cited TikTok as the 7th-most-downloaded mobile app of the decade, from 2010 to 2019.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/10-most-downloaded-apps-of-the-decade-facebook-dominated-2010-2019/|title=Facebook was the most-downloaded app of the decade|last=Rayome|first=Alison DeNisco|website=CNET |access-date=18 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218120846/https://www.cnet.com/news/10-most-downloaded-apps-of-the-decade-facebook-dominated-2010-2019/|archive-date=18 December 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> It was also the most-downloaded app on Apple's App Store in 2018 and 2019, surpassing [[Facebook]], [[YouTube]] and [[Instagram]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/19/short-video-apps-like-douyin-tiktok-are-dominating-chinese-screens.html|title=The biggest trend in Chinese social media is dying, and another has already taken its place|last=Chen|first=Qian|date=18 September 2018|work=CNBC|access-date=16 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116085446/https://www.cnbc.com/2018/09/19/short-video-apps-like-douyin-tiktok-are-dominating-chinese-screens.html|archive-date=16 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/11/02/tiktok-surpassed-facebook-instagram-snapchat-youtube-in-downloads-last-month/|title=TikTok surpassed Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat & YouTube in downloads last month|newspaper=TechCrunch|access-date=10 December 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181211095541/https://techcrunch.com/2018/11/02/tiktok-surpassed-facebook-instagram-snapchat-youtube-in-downloads-last-month/|archive-date=11 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In September 2020, a deal was confirmed between ByteDance and [[Oracle Corporation|Oracle]] in which the latter will serve as a partner to provide cloud hosting,<ref>{{cite web|last=Novet|first=Jordan|date=13 September 2020|title=Oracle stock surges after it confirms deal with TikTok-owner ByteDance|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/14/microsoft-bid-for-tiktoks-us-operations-rejected-by-bytedance.html|access-date=2 October 2020|website=CNBC|quote=Shares of Oracle surged Monday morning after it confirmed it has been chosen to serve as TikTok owner ByteDance’s "trusted technology provider" in the U.S.|archive-date=15 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201215225232/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/14/microsoft-bid-for-tiktoks-us-operations-rejected-by-bytedance.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Kharpal|first=Arjun|date=25 September 2020|title=Here's where things stand with the messy TikTok deal|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/25/tiktok-deal-timeline-the-latest-in-the-messy-saga-as-ban-looms.html|access-date=28 September 2020|website=CNBC|archive-date=2 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210102233308/https://www.cnbc.com/2020/09/25/tiktok-deal-timeline-the-latest-in-the-messy-saga-as-ban-looms.html|url-status=live}}</ref> as TikTok faces attempts to ban it in the United States.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Corkery|first=Michael|date=23 September 2020|title=Beyond TikTok, Walmart Looks to Transform|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/23/business/walmart-tiktok-groceries.html|access-date=2 October 2020|issn=0362-4331|quote=Walmart’s planned investment in TikTok is being called "transformative."|archive-date=1 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101145117/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/23/business/walmart-tiktok-groceries.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Biden Administration Pauses Trump's TikTok Ban, Backs Off Pressure To Sell App |newspaper=NPR |date=10 February 2021 |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/02/10/966584204/biden-administration-pauses-trumps-tiktok-ban-backs-off-pressure-for-tiktok-to-s |access-date=3 May 2021 |archive-date=3 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503225540/https://www.npr.org/2021/02/10/966584204/biden-administration-pauses-trumps-tiktok-ban-backs-off-pressure-for-tiktok-to-s |url-status=live |last1=Allyn |first1=Bobby }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=TikTok Sale to Oracle, Walmart Is Shelved as Biden Reviews Security|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=10 February 2021|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-sale-to-oracle-walmart-is-shelved-as-biden-reviews-security-11612958401|access-date=3 May 2021|archive-date=3 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503071904/https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-sale-to-oracle-walmart-is-shelved-as-biden-reviews-security-11612958401|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=ByteDance is walking away from its TikTok deal with Oracle now that Trump isn't in office, report says |website=[[Business Insider]] |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/bytedance-ending-oracle-deal-because-trump-is-out-scmp-2021-2 |access-date=3 May 2021 |archive-date=3 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503171447/https://www.businessinsider.com/bytedance-ending-oracle-deal-because-trump-is-out-scmp-2021-2 |url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2020, TikTok signed a licensing deal with [[Sony Music]].<ref>{{cite web|title=TikTok signs deal with Sony Music to expand music library|url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tiktok-signs-deal-sony-music-170116348.html|access-date=2020-11-06|website=finance.yahoo.com|date=2 November 2020 |archive-date=11 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201111145248/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tiktok-signs-deal-sony-music-170116348.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In December 2020, [[Warner Music Group]] signed a licensing deal with TikTok.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/warner-music-group-inks-licensing-deal-with-tiktok/|title=Warner Music Group inks licensing deal with TikTok|date=4 January 2021|website=Music Business Worldwide|access-date=11 January 2021|archive-date=11 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210111092629/https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/warner-music-group-inks-licensing-deal-with-tiktok/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Warner Music signs with TikTok as more record companies jump on social media bandwagon |url=https://themusicnetwork.com/warner-music-tiktok-deal/ |website=themusicnetwork.com |date=7 January 2021 |access-date=2021-01-07 |archive-date=29 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210429070202/https://themusicnetwork.com/warner-music-tiktok-deal/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Warner Music Group: Modernized And Ready To Play In The New Streaming World |url=https://seekingalpha.com/article/4419318-warner-music-tuned-up-for-new-streaming-world |newspaper=Seeking Alpha |date=15 April 2021 |access-date=2021-04-15 |archive-date=15 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415224425/https://seekingalpha.com/article/4419318-warner-music-tuned-up-for-new-streaming-world |url-status=live |last1=Alexander |first1=Gary }}</ref> In April 2021, Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism partnered with TikTok to promote tourism.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tcaabudhabi.ae/en/media.centre/news/the.department.of.culture.and.tourism.abu.dhabi.partners.with.tiktok.for.destination.promotion.aspx|title=The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi Partners with TikTok for Destination Promotion|access-date=27 April 2021|website=Department of Culture and Tourism|archive-date=4 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504060212/https://tcaabudhabi.ae/en/media.centre/news/the.department.of.culture.and.tourism.abu.dhabi.partners.with.tiktok.for.destination.promotion.aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> It came following the January 2021 winter campaign, initiated through a partnership between the UAE Government Media Office partnered and TikTok to promote the country's tourism.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://campaignme.com/the-uae-government-media-office-and-tiktok-bring-people-together-to-discover-the-uaes-hidden-gems-in-worlds-coolest-winter/|title=The UAE Government Media Office and TikTok bring people together to discover the UAE's hidden gems in World's Coolest Winter|access-date=14 January 2021|website=Campaign Middle East|date=14 January 2021 |archive-date=14 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114062103/https://campaignme.com/the-uae-government-media-office-and-tiktok-bring-people-together-to-discover-the-uaes-hidden-gems-in-worlds-coolest-winter/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Since 2014, the first non-gaming apps<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cowley |first=Ric |date=12 August 2020 |title=Subway Surfers has surpassed three billion downloads |url=https://www.pocketgamer.biz/news/74170/subway-surfers-three-billion-downloads/ |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=pocketgamer.biz}}</ref> with more than 3 billion downloads were Facebook, [[WhatsApp]], Instagram, and [[Messenger (software)|Messenger]]; all owned by [[Meta Platforms|Meta]]. TikTok was the first non-Facebook app to reach that figure. Sensor Tower reported that although TikTok had been banned in India, its largest market, in June 2020, downloads in the rest of the world continue to increase, reaching 3 billion downloads in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |title=TikTok Becomes the First Non-Facebook Mobile App to Reach 3 Billion Downloads Globally |url=https://sensortower.com/blog/tiktok-downloads-3-billion |access-date=2022-08-04 |website=sensortower.com}}</ref> | |||
The [[advertising revenue]] of short video clips is lower than other social media: while users spend more time, American audience is monetized at a rate of $0.31 per hour, a third the rate of Facebook and a fifth the rate of Instagram, $67 per year while Instagram will make more than $200.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.economist.com/business/2023/03/21/how-tiktok-broke-social-media |title= How TikTok broke social media |date= Mar 21, 2023 |newspaper= [[The Economist]]}}</ref> | |||
TikTok works with Tehran Chamber of Commerce.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://en.mehrnews.com/amp/202696/ | title=TikTok to market Iranian products in China: TCCIM - Mehr News Agency }}</ref> | |||
=== Relationship with other tech platforms === | |||
Although the size of its user base falls short of that of Facebook, Instagram, or Youtube, TikTok reached 1 billion active monthly users faster than any of them.<ref name=Forbes20230313>{{cite news|last1=Murray|first1=Conor|title=TikTok Clones: How Spotify, Instagram, Twitter And More Are Copying Features Like The 'For You' Page|date=2023-03-13|work=Forbes|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2023/03/13/tiktok-clones-how-spotify-instagram-twitter-and-more-are-copying-features-like-the-for-you-page/}}</ref> Competition from TikTok prompted Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, to spend $120 million as of 2022 to entice more content creators to its [[Instagram#Reels|Reels]] service, although engagement level remained low.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sato|first=Mia|title=Instagram knows it has a Reels problem|date=2022-09-12|publisher=The Verge|url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/9/12/23349004/instagrams-reels-tiktok-internal-documents}}</ref> [[Snapchat]] had likewise paid out $250 million in 2021 to its creators.<ref>{{cite news|last=Silberling|first=Amanda|title=Snap paid $250 million to creators on its TikTok clone this year|date=2021-12-14|publisher=Tech Crunch|url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/12/14/snap-paid-250-million-to-creators-on-its-tiktok-clone-this-year/}}</ref> Many platforms and services, including [[Youtube Shorts]], began to imitate TikTok's format and recommendation page. Those changes caused a backlash from users of Instagram, Spotify, and Twitter.<ref name=Forbes20230313 /> | |||
In March 2022, ''The'' ''Washington Post'' reported that Facebook's owner [[Meta Platforms]] paid Targeted Victory—a consulting firm backed by supporters of the U.S. [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]]—to coordinate lobbying and media campaigns against TikTok and portray it as "a danger to American children and society." Its efforts included asking local reporters to serve as "back channels" of anti-TikTok messages, writing opinion articles and [[Letter to the editor|letters to the editor]], including one in the name of a concerned parent, amplifying stories about TikTok trends, such as "devious licks" and "Slap a Teacher", that actually originated on Facebook, and promoting Facebook's own corporate initiatives. Ties to Meta were not disclosed to the other parties involved. Targeted Victory said that it is "proud of the work". A Meta spokesperson said that all platforms, including TikTok, should face scrutiny.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Facebook paid GOP firm to malign TikTok |language=en-US |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/03/30/facebook-tiktok-targeted-victory/ |access-date=2022-03-30 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> | |||
''The Wall Street Journal'' reported that [[Silicon Valley]] executives met with US lawmakers to build an "anti-China alliance" before TikTok CEO's Congressional hearing in March 2023.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wells |first=Georgia |date=2023-03-17 |title=Silicon Valley and Capitol Hill Build an Anti-China Alliance |language=en-US |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/silicon-valley-and-capitol-hill-build-an-anti-china-alliance-e508c75e |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-07-13 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref> | |||
== Features == | |||
[[File:TikTok and YouTube Shorts example.webm|thumb|An example of a video that met TikTok requirements and recommendations, showing [[Crew Dragon Endeavour|Crew Dragon ''Endeavour'']] docking with the [[International Space Station]]]] | |||
The mobile app allows users to create short videos, which often feature music in the background and can be sped up, slowed down, or edited with a filter.<ref>{{Cite news|title=How to Use TikTok: Tips for New Users|magazine=Wired|url=https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-use-tik-tok/|access-date=27 May 2020|issn=1059-1028|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814235926/https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-use-tik-tok/|archive-date=14 August 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> They can also add their own sound on top of the background music. To create a music video with the app, users can choose background music from a wide variety of [[music genre]]s, edit with a filter and record a 15-second video with speed adjustments before uploading it to share with others on TikTok or other social platforms.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-use-tik-tok/|title=How to Use TikTok: Tips for New Users|last=Matsakis|first=Louise|date=6 March 2019|magazine=Wired|access-date=24 May 2019|issn=1059-1028|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190814235926/https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-use-tik-tok/|archive-date=14 August 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
The "For You" page on TikTok is a feed of videos that are recommended to users based on their activity on the app. Content is curated by TikTok's artificial intelligence depending on the content a user liked, interacted with, or searched. This is in contrast to other social networks' algorithms basing such content off of the user's relationships with other users and what they liked or interacted with.<ref name="Cervi 198–204">{{Cite journal |last=Cervi |first=Laura |date=2021-04-03 |title=Tik Tok and generation Z |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19443927.2021.1915617 |journal=Theatre, Dance and Performance Training |language=en |volume=12 |issue=2 |pages=198–204 |doi=10.1080/19443927.2021.1915617 |s2cid=236323384 |issn=1944-3927}}</ref> | |||
The app's "react" feature allows users to film their reaction to a specific video, over which it is placed in a small window that is movable around the screen.<ref name="TechCrunch">{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/09/03/tiktok-reactions/|title=TikTok adds video reactions to its newly-merged app|work=TechCrunch|access-date=20 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120140013/https://techcrunch.com/2018/09/03/tiktok-reactions/|archive-date=20 November 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Its "duet" feature allows users to film a video aside from another video.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/lifestyle/30346044|title=Tik Tok lets you duet with yourself, a pal, or a celebrity|website=The Nation|date=22 May 2018|access-date=24 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190626182740/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/lifestyle/30346044|archive-date=26 June 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> The "duet" feature was another trademark of musical.ly. The duet feature is also only able to be used if both parties adjust the privacy settings.<ref>{{cite web|last=Weir|first=Melanie|title=How to duet on TikTok and record a video alongside someone else's|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-duet-on-tiktok|access-date=2021-10-08|website=Business Insider|language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
Videos that users do not want to post yet can be stored in their "drafts". The user is allowed to see their "drafts" and post when they find it fitting.<ref>{{cite web|title=How to make and find drafts on TikTok using your iPhone or Android|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-to-drafts-on-tiktok|last=Liao|first=Christina|website=Business Insider|access-date=27 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200426172302/https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-to-drafts-on-tiktok|archive-date=26 April 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
The app allows users to set their accounts as "private". When first downloading the app, the user's account is public by default. The user can change to private in their settings. Private content remains visible to TikTok but is blocked from TikTok users who the account holder has not authorized to view their content.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=http://social.techcrunch.com/2019/01/29/its-time-to-pay-serious-attention-to-tiktok/|title=It's time to pay serious attention to TikTok|website=TechCrunch|date=29 January 2019 |access-date=24 May 2019|archive-date=22 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822023621/https://techcrunch.com/2019/01/29/its-time-to-pay-serious-attention-to-tiktok/|url-status=live}}</ref> Users can choose whether any other user, or only their "friends", may interact with them through the app via comments, messages, or "react" or "duet" videos.<ref name="TechCrunch" /> Users also can set specific videos to either "public", "friends only", or "private" regardless if the account is private or not.<ref name=":1" /> | |||
Users can also send their friends videos, [[emoji]]s, and messages with direct messaging. TikTok has also included a feature to create a video based on the user's comments. Influencers often use the "live" feature. This feature is only available for those who have at least 1,000 followers and are over 16 years old. If over 18, the user's followers can send virtual "gifts" that can be later exchanged for money.<ref>{{cite web|title=How to 'go live' on TikTok and livestream video to your followers|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-go-live-on-tiktok|last=Delfino|first=Devon|website=Business Insider|access-date=27 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528175142/https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-go-live-on-tiktok|archive-date=28 May 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=How To Go Live & Stream on TikTok|url=https://social.techjunkie.com/tiktok-go-live-stream/|website=Tech Junkie|access-date=27 May 2020|archive-date=22 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822023621/https://social.techjunkie.com/tiktok-go-live-stream/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
TikTok announced a "family safety mode" in February 2020 for parents to be able to control their children's presence on the app. There is a screen time management option, restricted mode, and the option to put a limit on direct messages.<ref>{{cite web |title=Introducing Family Safety Mode and Screentime Management in Feed |url=https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/family-safety-mode-and-screentime-management-in-feed/ |date=16 August 2019 |website=TikTok |access-date=1 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200503004640/https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/family-safety-mode-and-screentime-management-in-feed |archive-date=3 May 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=19 February 2020 |title=TikTok gives parent remote control of child's app |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-51561050 |access-date=1 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200530224001/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-51561050 |archive-date=30 May 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> The app expanded its parental controls feature called "Family Pairing" in September 2020 to provide parents and guardians with educational resources to understand what children on TikTok are exposed to. Content for the feature was created in partnership with online safety nonprofit, [[Internet Matters]].<ref>{{cite web|title=TikTok adds educational resources for parents as part of its Family Pairing feature|url=https://social.techcrunch.com/2021/09/01/tiktok-adds-educational-resources-for-parents-as-part-of-its-family-pairing-feature/|access-date=2021-09-01|website=TechCrunch|date=September 2021|language=en-US}}{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> | |||
In October 2021, TikTok launched a test feature that allows users to directly tip certain creators. Accounts of users that are of age, have at least 100,000 followers and agree to the terms can activate a "Tip" button on their profile, which allows followers to tip any amount, starting from $1.<ref>{{cite web |last=Keck |first=Catie |title=TikTok is testing a new tipping feature for some creators |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/28/22751715/tiktok-new-tips-feature-creators |date=2021-10-28 |access-date=2021-10-29 |website=TheVerge |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
In December 2021, TikTok started beta-testing Live Studio, a streaming software that would let users broadcast applications open on their computers, including games. The software also launched with support for mobile and PC streaming.<ref>{{cite web |last=Porter |first=Jon |title=TikTok tests PC game streaming app that could let it take on Twitch |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/16/22839213/tiktok-live-studio-desktop-live-streaming-twitch |date=2021-12-16 |access-date=2021-12-21 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref> However, a few days later, users on Twitter discovered that the software uses code from the open-source [[OBS Studio]]. OBS made a statement saying that, under the [[GNU General Public License|GNU GPL]] version 2, TikTok has to make the code of Live Studio publicly available if it wants to use any code from OBS.<ref>{{cite web |last=Roth |first=Emma |title=TikTok's new Live Studio app allegedly violates OBS' licensing policy |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/20/22847213/tiktoks-live-studio-obs-open-source-policy |date=2021-12-20 |access-date=2021-12-21 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
In May 2022, TikTok announced TikTok Pulse, an ad revenue-sharing program. It covers the "top 4% of all videos on TikTok" and is only available to creators with more than 100,000 followers. If an eligible creator's video reaches the top 4%, they will receive a 50% share of the revenue from ads displayed with the video.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kastrenakes |first1=Jacob |title=TikTok will start to share ad revenue with creators |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/5/4/23057016/tiktok-pulse-ad-revenue-share-creator-program |website=The Verge |date=4 May 2022 |access-date=5 May 2022}}</ref> | |||
In July 2023, TikTok launched a new streaming service called TikTok Music, currently available only in Brazil and Indonesia.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |title=TikTok a lancé un nouveau service payant pour concurrencer Spotify et Deezer |url=https://www.capital.fr/entreprises-marches/tiktok-a-lance-un-nouveau-service-payant-pour-concurrencer-spotify-et-deezer-1474275 |access-date=18 July 2023 |website=Capital|date=13 July 2023 }}</ref> This service allows users to listen to, download and share songs.<ref name=":10" /> It is reported that TikTok Music features songs from major record companies like Universal Music Group, Sony Music and Warner Music Group.<ref name=":10" /> On 19 July 2023, TikTok Music was expanded for select users in Australia, Mexico and Singapore.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weatherbed |first=Jess |date=2023-07-19 |title=TikTok Music beta expands to more countries |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/19/23800014/tiktok-music-beta-australia-mexico-singapore-streaming-service |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
== Content and usage == | |||
=== Demographics === | |||
{{See also|List of most-followed TikTok accounts}} | |||
TikTok tends to appeal to younger users, as 41% of its users are between the ages of 16 and 24. These individuals are considered [[Generation Z]].<ref name="Cervi 198–204"/> Among these TikTok users, 90% said they used the app daily.<ref>{{cite web |last=Meola |first=Andrew |title=Analyzing Tik Tok user growth and usage patterns in 2020 |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-marketing-trends-predictions-2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225032607/https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-marketing-trends-predictions-2020 |archive-date=25 February 2020 |access-date=2 March 2020 |website=Business Insider}}</ref> TikTok's geographical use has shown that 43% of new users are from India.<ref name=":6">{{cite web |date=7 March 2019 |title=13 TikTok Stats for Marketers: TikTok Demographics, Statistics, & Key Data |url=https://mediakix.com/blog/top-tik-tok-statistics-demographics/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191204072918/https://mediakix.com/blog/top-tik-tok-statistics-demographics/ |archive-date=4 December 2019 |access-date=5 December 2019 |website=Mediakix}}</ref> As of the first quarter of 2022, there were over 100 million monthly active users in the United States and 23 million in the UK. The average user, daily, was spending 1 hour and 25 minutes on the app and opening TikTok 17 times.<ref name="wiredstats">{{cite web |last=Stokel-Walker |first=Chris |date=21 February 2022 |title=TikTok Wants Longer Videos—Whether You Like It or Not |url=https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-wants-longer-videos-like-not/ |access-date=24 March 2022 |website=WIRED.com |publisher= |quote=}}</ref> | |||
By July 2023, TikTok has become the primary news source for British teenagers on social media, with 28% of 12 to 15-year-olds relying on the platform, while traditional sources like [[BBC One]]/[[BBC Two|Two]] are more trusted at 82%, according to a report by UK regulator Ofcom.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hassan |first=Marwa |date=2023-07-20 |title= TikTok becoming go-to news source for UK teens, Ofcom survey reveals |language=en |work=The national |url= https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/uk-news/2023/07/20/tiktok-becoming-go-to-news-source-for-uk-teens-ofcom-survey-reveals/|access-date=2023-07-24}}</ref> | |||
Out of TikTok's top 100 male creators, a 2022 analysis reported 67% were white, with 54% having near-perfect [[facial symmetry]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Foster |first1=Jordan |last2=Baker |first2=Jayne |date=July 2022 |title=Muscles, Makeup, and Femboys: Analyzing TikTok's "Radical" Masculinities |journal=Social Media + Society |language=en |volume=8 |issue=3 |pages=205630512211260 |doi=10.1177/20563051221126040 |s2cid=252562169 |issn=2056-3051|doi-access=free }}</ref> | |||
Popular TikTok users have lived collectively in [[collab house]]s, predominantly in the Los Angeles area.<ref name=NYTJan20>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/03/style/hype-house-los-angeles-tik-tok.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200103101229/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/03/style/hype-house-los-angeles-tik-tok.html |archive-date=2020-01-03 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Hype House and the Los Angeles Tik Tok Mansion Gold Rush|date=3 January 2020|first=Taylor|last=Lorenz|work=[[New York Times]]|access-date=26 May 2021}}</ref> | |||
==== Teenage mode ==== | |||
China heavily regulates how Douyin is used by minors in the country, especially after 2018.<ref name=":7">{{cite web |last=Zhang |first=Zeyi |date=2023-03-08 |title=How China takes extreme measures to keep teens off TikTok |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/03/08/1069527/china-tiktok-douyin-teens-privacy/ |website=[[MIT Technology Review]] |publisher=}}</ref> Under government pressure, ByteDance introduced parental controls and a "teenage mode" that shows only whitelisted content, such as knowledge sharing, and bans pranks, superstition, dance clubs, and pro-LGBT content.{{efn|Strictly legal explainers are still available on topics such as same-sex marriage.}}<ref name=Hung>{{Cite news |last1=Hung |first1=Allison |last2=Rollet |first2=Charles |date=January 3, 2023 |title=Douyin Bans Pro-LGBT Content |work=[[IPVM]] |url=https://ipvm.com/reports/douyin-bans-pro-lgbt |access-date=July 16, 2023}}</ref> A mandatory screen time limit was put in place for users under the age of 14 and a requirement to link accounts to a real identity to prevent minors from lying about their age or using an adult's account. The differences between Douyin and TikTok have led some US politicians and commentators to accuse the company or the Chinese government of malicious intent.<ref name=":7" /><ref>{{Cite web | last = Nash| first = Ashley| title = Is there a difference between TikTok in the U.S. and China? A social media analyst compares it to opium and spinach| publisher = [[Deseret News]]| date = Nov 24, 2022| url = https://www.deseret.com/2022/11/24/23467181/difference-between-tik-tok-in-china-and-the-us| accessdate = March 23, 2023}}</ref> In March 2023, TikTok announced default screen time limits for users under the age of 18. Those under the age of 13 would need a passcode from their parents to extend their time.<ref name=":7" /> | |||
==== Cyberbullying ==== | |||
{{Further| Problematic social media use}} | |||
''[[Vox (website)|Vox]]'' noted in 2018 that bullies and trolls were relatively rare on TikTok compared to other platforms.<ref name=theweek /> Nonetheless, several users have reported [[cyberbullying]] via features such as Duet or React, which is used to interact with followers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/krishrach/tik-tok-users-bullying-abuse-complaints|title=TikTok Creators Say They Are Being Bullied And The Company Isn't Helping|website=BuzzFeed News|date=November 2018 |access-date=1 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302024539/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/krishrach/tik-tok-users-bullying-abuse-complaints|archive-date=2 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> A trend making fun of [[autism]] eventually created a huge backlash, even on the platform itself, and the company ended up removing the hashtag altogether.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Drayton |first1=Tiffanie |title=Mom of child with autism pleads with TikTok to remove 'Autism Challenge' videos |url=https://www.dailydot.com/irl/tiktok-autism-challenge/ |website=The Daily Dot |access-date=21 September 2020 |date=13 May 2020 |archive-date=10 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201210005101/https://www.dailydot.com/irl/tiktok-autism-challenge/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Moss |first1=Haley |title=As an autistic person, the offensive #AutismChallenge TikTok trend reinforced my decision to stay away from the app |url=https://www.insider.com/autismchallenge-tiktok-trend-will-keep-me-away-from-app-2020-5 |website=Insider |access-date=21 September 2020 |date=15 May 2020 }}</ref> Parents filming how their children reacted to people with disability, often in terror, led to criticisms of [[ableism]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Smith |first1=Olivia |title=The Latest TikTok Trend Is Bringing Out The Worst In People |url=https://gritdaily.com/the-latest-tiktok-trend-new-teacher-challenge/ |website=Grit Daily |access-date=21 September 2020 |date=27 August 2020 |archive-date=1 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201001172158/https://gritdaily.com/the-latest-tiktok-trend-new-teacher-challenge/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In December 2019, following a report by German digital rights group [[netzpolitik.org]], TikTok admitted that it had suppressed videos by disabled users as well as LGBTQ+ users in a purported temporary effort to limit cyberbullying.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://globalnews.ca/news/6250923/tiktok-policy-suppressing-persons-lgbtq-disabilities/|title=TikTok admits to suppressing videos from some persons with disabilities, LGBTQ2 community|last=Lao|first=David|date=3 December 2019|publisher=[[Global News]]|access-date=5 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206004235/https://globalnews.ca/news/6250923/tiktok-policy-suppressing-persons-lgbtq-disabilities/|archive-date=6 December 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="theintercept"/> | |||
=== Viral trends === | |||
{{further|TikTok food trends}} | |||
Many recipes and food-related trends grew popular on TikTok, leading some content creators to gain millions of subscribers and the term "FoodTok" to be widely used. The amount of engagement on TikTok has encouraged more cooking in younger viewers and drawn in businesses from the food industry to market themselves on the platform and interact with followers. | |||
The app has spawned numerous [[Viral phenomenon|viral trends]], [[Internet celebrity|Internet celebrities]], and music trends around the world.<ref>{{cite web|title=How Does Tik Tok Outperform Tencent's Super App WeChat and Become One of China's Most Popular Apps? (Part 1)|url=https://kr-asia.com/bytedance-general-manager-zhang-nan-tik-tok-meshes-with-chinas-consumption-upgrade-trends/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180711025929/https://kr-asia.com/bytedance-general-manager-zhang-nan-tik-tok-meshes-with-chinas-consumption-upgrade-trends/|archive-date=11 July 2018|access-date=29 October 2018|website=kr-asia.com|date=26 March 2018}}</ref> Duets, a feature that allows users to add their own video to an existing video with the original content's audio, have sparked many of these trends.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Maheshwari |first=Sapna |date=2023-06-24 |title=TikTok Is Our DJ Now. It's Playing a Lot of Meghan Trainor. |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/24/business/meghan-trainor-made-you-look-tiktok.html |access-date=2023-07-14 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> Many stars got their start on [[musical.ly]], which merged with TikTok on 2 August 2018. These include [[Loren Gray]], [[Baby Ariel]], [[Zach King]], [[Lisa and Lena]], [[Jacob Sartorius]], and many others. Loren Gray remained the most-followed individual on TikTok until [[Charli D'Amelio]] surpassed her on 25 March 2020. Gray's was the first TikTok account to reach 40 million followers on the platform. She was surpassed with 41.3 million followers. D'Amelio was the first to ever reach 50, 60, and 70 million followers. Charli D'Amelio remained the [[List of most-followed TikTok accounts|most-followed individual]] on the platform until she was surpassed by [[Khaby Lame]] on June 23, 2022. Other creators rose to fame after the platform merged with musical.ly on 2 August 2018.<ref>{{cite news|title=TikTok Star Charli D'Amelio Officially Leaves the Hype House|url=https://people.com/tv/tik-tok-charli-damelio-leave-hype-house/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200513184350/https://people.com/tv/tik-tok-charli-damelio-leave-hype-house/|archive-date=13 May 2020|access-date=27 May 2020|newspaper=People}}</ref> TikTok also played a major part in making "[[Old Town Road]]" by [[Lil Nas X]] one of the biggest songs of 2019 and the longest-running number-one song in the history of the US [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].<ref>{{Citation|last=Coscarelli|first=Joe|title=How Lil Nas X Took 'Old Town Road' From TikTok Meme to No. 1 {{!}} Diary of a Song|date=9 May 2019|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptKqFafZgCk|work=[[The New York Times]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191110153141/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptKqFafZgCk|access-date=26 November 2019|archive-date=10 November 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Koble|first=Nicole|date=28 October 2019|title=TikTok is changing music as you know it|url=https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/what-is-tiktok|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191123115730/https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/what-is-tiktok|archive-date=23 November 2019|access-date=26 November 2019|website=[[British GQ]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Leskin|first=Paige|date=22 August 2019|title=The life and rise of Lil Nas X, the 'Old Town Road' singer who went viral on TikTok and just celebrated Amazon Prime Day with Jeff Bezos|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/lil-nas-x-old-town-road-tiktok-life-rise-bio-2019-8|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190914003241/https://www.businessinsider.com/lil-nas-x-old-town-road-tiktok-life-rise-bio-2019-8|archive-date=14 September 2019|access-date=26 November 2019|website=[[Business Insider]]}}</ref> | |||
TikTok has allowed many music artists to gain a wider audience, often including foreign fans. For example, despite never having toured in Asia, the band [[Fitz and the Tantrums]] developed a large following in South Korea following the widespread popularity of their 2016 song "[[HandClap]]" on the platform.<ref>{{cite news|last=Shaw|first=Lucas|title=TikTok Is the New Music Kingmaker, and Labels Want to Get Paid|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-10/tiktok-is-the-new-music-kingmaker-and-labels-want-to-get-paid|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200414113435/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-05-10/tiktok-is-the-new-music-kingmaker-and-labels-want-to-get-paid|archive-date=14 April 2020|access-date=22 April 2020|website=[[Bloomberg.com]]|date=10 May 2019}}</ref> "Any Song" by R&B and rap artist [[Zico (rapper)|Zico]] became number one on the Korean music charts due to the popularity of the #anysongchallenge, where users dance to the choreography of the song.<ref>{{cite web|title='Any Song' is a viral hit thanks to TikTok challenge: Rapper Zico's catchy song and dance have become a craze all around the world|url=https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2020/01/23/etc/Any-Song-is-a-viral-hit-thanks-to-TikTok-challenge-Rapper-Zicos-catchy-song-and-dance-have-become-a-craze-all-around-the-world/3072996.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605081148/https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2020/01/23/etc/Any-Song-is-a-viral-hit-thanks-to-TikTok-challenge-Rapper-Zicos-catchy-song-and-dance-have-become-a-craze-all-around-the-world/3072996.html|archive-date=5 June 2020|access-date=27 May 2020|website=koreajoongangdaily.joins.com|date=23 January 2020 }}</ref> The platform has also launched many songs that failed to garner initial commercial success into [[sleeper hit]]s, particularly since the outbreak of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=McCathie |first=William |date=2020-04-23 |title=Say So, TikTok, and the 'Viral Sleeper Hit' |url=https://www.cherwell.org/2020/04/23/say-so-tiktok-and-the-viral-sleeper-hit/ |access-date=2022-03-23 |website=Cherwell |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wass |first=Mike |date=2022-07-14 |title=Viral Revivals: From Kate Bush to Tom Odell, Inside the Business of Oldies as New Hit Songs |url=https://variety.com/2022/music/news/kate-bush-tom-odell-catalog-songs-tiktok-business-1235317069/ |access-date=2022-07-17 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref> However, it has received criticism for not paying royalties to artists whose music is used on the platform.<ref name="pitchfork">{{cite web |date=12 February 2019 |title=How TikTok Gets Rich While Paying Artists Pennies |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/article/the-great-music-meme-scam-how-tiktok-gets-rich-while-paying-artists-pennies/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526211142/https://pitchfork.com/features/article/the-great-music-meme-scam-how-tiktok-gets-rich-while-paying-artists-pennies/ |archive-date=26 May 2019 |access-date=20 May 2019 |website=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]}}</ref> | |||
Classic stars are able to connect with younger audiences born decades after a musician's first debut and across traditional genres. In 2020 [[Fleetwood Mac]]'s "Dreams" was used in a skating video and a recreation by [[Mick Fleetwood]]. The song re-entered ''Billboard'' Hot 100 after 43 years and topped Apple Music. In 2022, [[Kate Bush]]'s "Running Up That Hill" went viral among fans of [[Stranger Things]], topping the UK singles chart 37 years after its original release. In 2023 [[Kylie Minogue]]'s "[[Padam Padam (song)|Padam Padam]]" entered the Radio 1 playlist after being shared by [[Generation Z|Gen Z]], even though many youth radio stations had refused to play it. Other older artists with strong engagement on TikTok include [[Elton John]] and [[Rod Stewart]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Khomami|first=Nadia|title='TikTok is age-agnostic': how Kylie and Fleetwood Mac found new young fans|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/jun/28/tiktok-is-age-agnostic-how-kylie-and-fleetwood-mac-found-new-young-fans|website=The Guardian|date=28 June 2023}}</ref> | |||
In June 2020, TikTok users and [[K-pop]] fans "claimed to have registered potentially hundreds of thousands of tickets" for [[2020 Trump Tulsa rally|President Trump's campaign rally in Tulsa]] through communication on TikTok,<ref>{{cite news|title=TikTok Teens and K-Pop Stans Say They Sank Trump Rally|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/21/style/tiktok-trump-rally-tulsa.html|date=21 June 2020|work=The New York Times|access-date=22 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622000614/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/21/style/tiktok-trump-rally-tulsa.html|archive-date=22 June 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> contributing to "rows of empty seats"<ref>{{cite news|title=The President's Shock at the Rows of Empty Seats in Tulsa|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/21/us/politics/trump-tulsa-rally.html|date=21 June 2020|work=The New York Times|access-date=22 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200621234822/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/21/us/politics/trump-tulsa-rally.html|archive-date=21 June 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> at the event. Later, in October 2020, an organization called ''TikTok for Biden'' was created to support [[Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign|then-presidential candidate Joe Biden]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Morin |first=Rebecca |title=Young and progressive voters aren't just 'settling for Biden' anymore; they're going all in |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/10/26/election-2020-young-voters-use-instagram-tiktok-settle-biden/3680105001/ |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref> After the election, the organization was renamed to ''[[Gen-Z for Change]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ward |first=Ian |title=Inside the Progressive Movement's TikTok Army |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/03/27/progressive-gen-z-for-change-tik-tok-00020624 |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=POLITICO |date=27 March 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Latu |first=Dan |date=2021-11-10 |title=They started making TikToks for Joe Biden. Now Gen Z For Change wants to wield real political clout |url=https://www.dailydot.com/debug/gen-z-for-change/ |access-date=2022-08-05 |website=The Daily Dot |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
On 10 August 2020, Emily Jacobssen wrote and sang "Ode to Remy", a song praising the [[protagonist]] from [[Pixar|Pixar's]] 2007 [[computer-animated film]] ''[[Ratatouille (film)|Ratatouille]]''. The song rose to popularity when musician Daniel Mertzlufft composed a backing track to the song. In response, began creating a "crowdsourced" project called ''[[Ratatouille the Musical]]''. Since Mertzlufft's video, many new elements including costume design, additional songs, and a [[Programme (booklet)|playbill]] have been created.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fitzpatrick|first=Felicia|date=21 November 2020|title=Presenting: The Official (Fake) Ratatouille Playbill|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/presenting-the-official-fake-ratatouille-playbill|access-date=2020-11-30|website=Playbill|archive-date=1 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210101205801/https://www.playbill.com/article/presenting-the-official-fake-ratatouille-playbill|url-status=live}}</ref> On 1 January 2021, a full one-hour virtual presentation of ''Ratatouille the Musical'' premiered on [[TodayTix]]. It starred [[Titus Burgess]] as Remy, [[Wayne Brady]] as Django, [[Adam Lambert]] as Emile, [[Kevin Chamberlin]] as Gusteau, [[Andrew Barth Feldman]] as Linguini, [[Ashley Park (actress)|Ashley Park]] as Colette, [[Priscilla Lopez]] as Mabel, [[Mary Testa]] as Skinner, and [[André De Shields]] as Ego. | |||
A viral TikTok trend known as "[[devious licks]]" involves students vandalizing or stealing school property and posting videos of the action on the platform. The trend has led to increasing school vandalism and subsequent measures taken by some schools to prevent damage. Some students have been arrested for participating in the trend.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pelletiere |first1=Nicole |title=15-year-old student's arrest linked to banned TikTok challenge after police locate video of crime |url=https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/florida-teen-arrested-tiktok-school-devious-licks |website=Fox News |access-date=18 September 2021 |date=17 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title="Devious Licks" TikTok challenge leaving bathrooms plundered in many schools across the nation |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/devious-licks-tiktok-challenge-bathrooms-vandalism/ |website=minnesota.cbslocal.com |date=17 September 2021 |access-date=18 September 2021}}</ref> TikTok has taken measures to remove and prevent access to content displaying the trend.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://people.com/human-interest/what-to-know-about-devious-lick-tiktok-challenge/|title=What to Know About the 'Devious Lick' TikTok Challenge — and Why Schools are Warning Parents|work=[[People (magazine)|People]]|last=Goldstein|first=Joelle|date=16 September 2021|access-date=17 September 2021}}</ref> Another TikTok trend known as the [[Kia Challenge]] involves users stealing certain models of [[Kia]] and [[Hyundai Motor Company|Hyundai]] cars manufactured without [[immobilizer]]s, which was a standard feature at the time, between 2010 and 2021.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Day |first1=Andrea |last2=DiLella |first2=Chris |title=TikTok challenge spurs rise in thefts of Kia, Hyundai cars |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/08/tiktok-challenge-spurs-rise-in-thefts-of-kia-hyundai-cars.html |website=CNBC |access-date=17 July 2023 |language=en |date=8 September 2022}}</ref> As of February 2023, it had resulted in at least 14 crashes and eight deaths according to the [[National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Hyundai and Kia Launch Service Campaign to Prevent Theft of Millions of Vehicles Targeted by Social Media Challenge {{!}} NHTSA |url=https://www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/hyundai-kia-campaign-prevent-vehicle-theft |website=www.nhtsa.gov |access-date=17 July 2023 |language=en |date=14 February 2023}}</ref> In May, Kia and Hyundai settled a $200-million class-action lawsuit by agreeing to provide software updates to affected vehicles and over 26,000 steering wheel locks.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hawkins |first1=Andrew J. |title=Hyundai and Kia agree to $200 million settlement over TikTok car theft challenge |url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/5/18/23729229/hyundai-kia-settlement-car-theft-challenge-tiktok |website=The Verge |date=18 May 2023}}</ref> | |||
In 2023 a trend took off where streamers acted as if they were video-game characters following prompts from their viewers. [[Livestreaming]] as [[non-player characters]] or NPCs was already known in the [[cosplay]] community. It allows viewers to become more invested in their experience and creators to interact with their followers in real-time. When the trend exploded, some creators were able to make a living out of their performances. They believe that even if the trend does not last, it can supplement their income as they become better at content creation in general or pivot into other niches such as [[ASMR]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Chong|first=Linda|date=12 August 2023|title=They act like video game characters on TikTok. It nets $200 an hour.|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/08/12/tiktok-npc-trend-streaming/}}</ref> | |||
On Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, some celebrities who had garnered large followings as of August 2019 include [[Dilraba Dilmurat]], [[Angelababy]], [[Luo Zhixiang]], [[Ouyang Nana]], and [[Pan Changjiang]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Melody Tsui |date=2019-08-06 |title=What is Douyin, aka TikTok, and why are stars like Angelababy and Ouyang Nana on it? |url=https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3021658/what-douyin-aka-tiktok-and-why-are-stars-angelababy-and |access-date=2023-03-23 |website=[[South China Morning Post]] |language=en}}</ref> In the [[2022 FIFA World Cup]], a Qatari teenage royal became an Internet celebrity after his angry expressions were recorded in Qatar's opening match loss to Ecuador;<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 24, 2022 |title=A young Qatari man leads the trend in China and becomes the most famous in it.. What is the story? |script-title=ar:شاب قطري يتصدر الترند في الصين ويصبح الأكثر شهرة فيها.. ما القصة؟ |language=Arabic |work=[[Al Jazeera Arabic]] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un2WNfYMtnY}}</ref> he amassed more than 15 million followers in less than a week after creating a Douyin account.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dorothy Kam |date=2022-12-03 |title=Royal teen at World Cup goes viral in China as 'dumpling wrapper prince' |url=https://news.yahoo.com/teenage-world-cup-fan-qatari-150021161.html |access-date=2023-03-23 |website=[[Yahoo! News]] |publisher=NBC News |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
==== Fashion and body size ==== | |||
{{Further|Model (people)#Types}} | |||
"Midsize" fashion gained greater exposure on TikTok after many creators opened up about not able to find clothing sizes that fit them well. Women's apparel can roughly be divided into petite, straight, and plus sizes, leaving gaps in between. Realistic videos about how differently pieces of garment fit on a model compared to how they fit on a typical consumer resonated with many who had believed that they were alone in their struggle.<ref>{{cite web|last=Paton|first=Elizabeth|title=The Mean Life of a 'Midsize' Model|date=4 February 2023|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/04/fashion/plus-size-models-weight.html|work=The New York Times}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Allaire|first=Christian|title=This Curve Model Does Realistic Clothing Hauls on TikTok|date=21 February 2021|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/remi-bader-curve-model-tiktok-star|website=Vogue.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Dube|first=Rachel|title=What is mid-size fashion? Experts explain the TikTok trend|date=11 October 2021|url=https://www.today.com/shop/mid-size-fashion-t233854|website=TODAY.com}}</ref> | |||
==== Cosmetic surgery ==== | |||
Content promoting [[cosmetic surgery]] is popular on TikTok and has spawned several viral trends on the platform. In December 2021, ''[[Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery]]'', the journal of the [[American Society of Plastic Surgeons]], published an article about the popularity of some plastic surgeons on TikTok. In the article, it was noted that plastic surgeons were some of the earliest adopters of social media in the medical field and many had been recognized as influencers on the platform. The article published stats about the most popular plastic surgeons on TikTok up to February 2021 and at the time, five different plastic surgeons had surpassed 1 million followers on the platform.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Das |first1=Rishub K. |last2=Drolet |first2=Brian C. |title=Plastic Surgeons in TikTok: Top Influencers, Most Recent Posts, and User Engagement |journal=Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery |date=December 2021 |volume=148 |issue=6 |pages=1094e–1097e |doi=10.1097/PRS.0000000000008566 |pmid=34705755 |s2cid=240074110 |url=https://journals.lww.com/plasreconsurg/fulltext/2021/12000/plastic_surgeons_in_tiktok__top_influencers,_most.86.aspx |issn=0032-1052|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Bushak |first1=Lecia |title=TikTok's most popular plastic surgeon influencers |url=https://www.mmm-online.com/home/channel/tiktoks-most-popular-plastic-surgeon-influencers/ |website=MM+M – Medical Marketing and Media |publisher=Medical Marketing and Media |access-date=27 February 2023 |date=11 November 2022}}</ref> | |||
In 2021, it was reported that a trend known as the #NoseJobCheck trend was going viral on TikTok. TikTok content creators used a specific audio on their videos while showing how their noses looked before and after having their [[rhinoplasty]] surgeries. By January 2021, the hashtag #nosejob had accumulated 1.6 billion views, #nosejobcheck had accumulated 1 billion views, and the audio used in the #NoseJobCheck trend had been used in 120,000 videos.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zitser |first=Joshua |date=10 January 2021 |title=Insider created a TikTok account and set the age at 14 to test how long before a plastic surgeon's promotional video appeared. It only took 8 minutes. |url=https://www.insider.com/rhinoplasty-is-being-promoted-to-teenagers-nose-job-tiktok-2020-12 |access-date=26 February 2023 |website=Insider |quote=The hashtag #nosejobcheck, which mainly consists of videos showcasing before-and-after clips of [[nasal surgery]], has accumulated over one billion views on the platform. The hashtag #nosejob, which hosts similar videos, has over 1.6 billion views. There's even a unique 'nose job check' sound. Over 120,000 videos using this sound have been published on TikTok since last October.}}</ref> In 2020, Charli D'Amelio, the most-followed person on TikTok at the time, also made a #NoseJobCheck video to show the results of her surgery to repair her previously broken nose.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Aviles |first1=Gwen |last2=Gopal |first2=Trisha |last3=Naftulin |first3=Julia |title=Bella Hadid said she wished she still had 'the nose of her ancestors.' 'Ethnic nose jobs' are on the rise. |url=https://www.insider.com/bella-hadid-ethnic-nose-jobs-2022-3 |website=Insider |access-date=26 February 2023 |date=23 March 2022 |quote=In 2020, one of TikTok's biggest stars Charli D'Amelio shared her own nose job journey after receiving reconstructive surgery for what she deemed as "breathing problems" stemming from a broken nose.}}</ref> | |||
In April 2022, NBC News reported that surgeons were giving influencers on the platform discounted or free cosmetic surgeries in order to advertise the procedures to their audiences. They also reported that facilities that offered these surgeries were also posting about them on TikTok. TikTok has banned the advertising of cosmetic surgeries on the platform but cosmetic surgeons are still able to reach large audiences using unpaid photo and video posts. NBC reported that videos using the hashtags '#plasticsurgery' and '#lipfiller' had amassed a combined 26 billion views on the platform.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Tenbarge |first1=Kat |date=27 April 2022 |title=Young influencers are being offered cheap procedures in return for promotion. They say it's coming at a cost. |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/internet/followers-cheaper-lips-young-influencers-detail-allure-cosmetic-proced-rcna14463 |access-date=1 January 2023 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref> | |||
In December 2022, it was reported that a [[Plastic surgery|cosmetic surgery]] procedure known as [[buccal fat removal]] was going viral on the platform. The procedure involves surgically removing fat from the cheeks in order to give the face a slimmer and more chiseled appearance. Videos using hashtags related to buccal fat removal had collectively amassed over 180 million views. Some TikTok users criticized the trend for promoting an unobtainable beauty standard.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rosenblatt |first1=Kalhan |date=20 December 2022 |title=Buccal fat removal videos have gone viral on TikTok. But some users prefer to embrace their natural, rounder faces. |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/buccal-fat-removal-surgery-videos-tiktok-rcna62317 |access-date=31 December 2022 |website=NBC News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ryu |first1=Jenna |date=29 December 2022 |title='Buccal fat removal': Who decided round cheeks were something to be insecure about? |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2022/12/29/buccal-fat-removal-latest-controversial-plastic-surgery-trend/10950814002/ |access-date=31 December 2022 |website=USA TODAY}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Javaid |first1=Maham |date=29 December 2022 |title=Where has all the buccal fat gone? |language=en |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2022/12/29/buccal-fat-removal-sculpted-cheeks/ |access-date=31 December 2022}}</ref> | |||
==== Medication shortage ==== | |||
In November 2022, Australia's medical regulatory agency, the [[Therapeutic Goods Administration]] (TGA) reported that there was a global shortage of the diabetes medication Ozempic. According to the TGA, the rise in demand was caused by an increase in [[off-label use|off-label]] prescription of the drug for weight loss purposes.<ref>{{cite web |title=About the Ozempic (semaglutide) shortage 2022 and 2023 |url=https://www.tga.gov.au/safety/shortages/information-about-specific-shortages/about-ozempic-semaglutide-shortage-2022-and-2023#why-the-tga-cant-stop-offlabel-prescribing |publisher=[[Therapeutic Goods Administration]] |access-date=1 January 2023 |date=22 November 2022}}</ref> In December 2022, with the United States experiencing a shortage as well, it was reported that the huge increase in demand for the medicine was caused by a weight loss trend on TikTok, where videos about the drug exceeded 360 million views.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Casullo |first1=Dana |last2=Martichoux |first2=Alix |title=TikTok trend leads to diabetes medication shortages |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/3791060-tiktok-trend-leads-to-diabetes-medication-shortages/ |website=The Hill |access-date=1 January 2023 |date=29 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Duboust |first1=Oceane |title=Ozempic: How a TikTok weight loss trend caused a global diabetes drug shortage - and health concerns |url=https://www.euronews.com/next/2022/12/30/ozempic-how-a-tiktok-weight-loss-trend-caused-a-global-diabetes-drug-shortage-and-health-c |website=euronews |access-date=1 January 2023 |language=en |date=30 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Bloomberg |first1=Emma Court |title=TikTok trend wipes out Ozempic supply, leaving people with diabetes dizzy, scared |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2022-12-23/tiktok-trend-sold-out-ozempic-diabetes-drug |website=Los Angeles Times |date=23 December 2022}}</ref> Wegovy, a drug that has been specifically approved for treating obesity, also became popular on the platform after [[Elon Musk]] credited it for helping him lose weight.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Daignault |first1=Michael |title=Elon Musk's weight loss, Ozempic, Wegovy and what to know about the new TikTok viral treatment |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2022/10/20/ozempic-weight-loss-wegovy-what-know-diabetes-injections-tiktok/10538361002/ |website=USA TODAY |access-date=1 January 2023 |date=20 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Bartov |first1=Shira Li |title=Diabetics Face Vital Drug Shortage After Influencers Promote Weight Loss |url=https://www.newsweek.com/diabetics-face-vital-drug-shortage-after-influencers-promote-weight-loss-1712091 |website=Newsweek |access-date=1 January 2023 |language=en |date=1 June 2022}}</ref> | |||
=== Influencer marketing === | |||
TikTok has provided a platform for users to create content not only for fun but also for money. As the platform has grown significantly over the past few years, it has allowed companies to advertise and rapidly reach their intended demographic through [[influencer marketing]].<ref name=":12">{{cite web|last=Dilon|first=Cell|date=2020|title=TikTok Influences on Teenagers and Young Adults Students: The Common Usages of the Application TikTok|url=https://asrjetsjournal.org/index.php/American_Scientific_Journal/article/download/5917/2148/|website=American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences|access-date=23 November 2020|archive-date=20 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201120004216/https://asrjetsjournal.org/index.php/American_Scientific_Journal/article/download/5917/2148/|url-status=live}}</ref> The platform's AI algorithm also contributes to the influencer marketing potential, as it picks out content according to the user's preference.<ref name=":13">{{Cite journal|last1=Haenlein|first1=Michael|last2=Anadol|first2=Ertan|last3=Farnsworth|first3=Tyler|last4=Hugo|first4=Harry|last5=Hunichen|first5=Jess|last6=Welte|first6=Diana|date=2020-10-13|title=Navigating the New Era of Influencer Marketing: How to be Successful on Instagram, TikTok, & Co.|journal=California Management Review|volume=63|pages=5–25|doi=10.1177/0008125620958166|s2cid=222347758|doi-access=free}}</ref> Sponsored content is not as prevalent on the platform as it is on other social media apps, but brands and influencers still can make as much as they would if not more in comparison to other platforms.<ref name=":13" /> Influencers on the platform who earn money through engagement, such as likes and comments, are referred to as "meme machines".<ref name=":12" /> | |||
In 2021, ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that viral TikTok videos by young people relating the emotional impact of books on them, tagged with the label "[[BookTok]]", significantly drove sales of literature. Publishers were increasingly using the platform as a venue for influencer marketing.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Harris|first=Elizabeth A.|date=2021-03-20|title=How Crying on TikTok Sells Books|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/20/books/booktok-tiktok-video.html|access-date=2021-03-21|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=21 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210321184118/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/20/books/booktok-tiktok-video.html|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In December 2022, ''NBC News'' reported in a television segment that some TikTok and YouTube influencers were being given free and discounted cosmetic surgeries in order for them to advertise the surgeries to users of the platforms.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ryu |first1=Jenna |title=Young people are documenting, recording their plastic surgery on TikTok. Here's why that's a bad thing. |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/health-wellness/2022/12/05/tiktok-videos-show-plastic-surgery-botox-fillers-teens-watching/10806687002/ |website=USA TODAY |access-date=31 December 2022 |date=5 December 2022 |quote=However, "#FillerNation" also exposes a lesser-known reality: Many of these influencers said they received thousands of dollars worth of cosmetic surgeries for free, or at a discounted price, to market to their audiences – without having to publicly disclose the transaction.}}</ref> | |||
In 2022, it was reported that a trend called "de-influencing" had become popular on the platform as a backlash to influencer marketing. TikTok creators participating in this trend made videos criticizing products promoted by influencers and asked their audiences not to buy products they did not need. However, some creators participating in the trend started promoting alternative products to their audiences and earning commission from sales made through their [[affiliate marketing|affiliate]] links in the same manner as the influencers they were originally criticizing.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hadero |first1=Haleluya |last2=Swenson |first2=Ali |title=TikTok 'de-influencers' want Gen Z to buy less – and more |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/style/300808056/tiktok-deinfluencers-want-gen-z-to-buy-less--and-more |website=Stuff |access-date=26 February 2023 |language=en |date=15 February 2023 |quote=And there might be money to be made in that as well. For example, some products mentioned in popular TikToker user alyssastephanie’s de-influencing videos are listed on her Amazon Storefront, a personalised page on the e-commerce site where influencers earn commission from purchases made using affiliate links.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Bramley |first1=Ellie Violet |title=The sudden dawn of the deinfluencer: can online superstars stop us shopping? |url=https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/feb/22/the-sudden-dawn-of-the-deinfluencer-can-online-superstars-stop-us-shopping |website=The Guardian |date=22 February 2023}}</ref> | |||
In June 2022, ''[[NBC News]]'' reported that some of the influencers paid by ''FeetFinder'', a website that sells [[foot fetish]] content, did not disclose their videos were ads. FeetFinder said that it has suggested to influencers to be upfront about who was funding them. Existing sellers on FeetFinder said that the videos often misrepresented how "easy" it is to make money from posting feet pictures. Other TikTok creators have spoken out against accepting sponsorship deals indiscriminately and criticized those who posted undisclosed FeetFinder ads.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sung |first1=Morgan |title=A foot fetish site and claims of overnight riches show murky world of TikTok's creator economy |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/viral/tiktok-feetfinder-viral-video-sponsored-content-undisclosed-ad-rcna32400 |website=NBC News |access-date=15 July 2023 |language=en |date=14 June 2022}}</ref> | |||
=== Use by businesses === | |||
In October 2020, the e-commerce platform [[Shopify]] added TikTok to its portfolio of social media platforms, allowing online merchants to sell their products directly to consumers on TikTok.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.ft.com/content/f11fe4a8-84ea-4f11-aa94-79fe8ed0688e |title=TikTok moves into social ecommerce with Shopify deal |last1=Bradshaw |first1=Tim |last2=Murphy |first2=Hannah |work=Financial Times |date=27 October 2020 |access-date=24 February 2021 |archive-date=12 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210212035054/https://www.ft.com/content/f11fe4a8-84ea-4f11-aa94-79fe8ed0688e |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
Some [[small business]]es have used TikTok to advertise and to reach an audience wider than the geographical region they would normally serve. The viral response to many small business TikTok videos has been attributed to TikTok's algorithm, which shows content that viewers at large are drawn to, but which they are unlikely to actively search for (such as videos on unconventional types of businesses, like [[beekeeping]] and [[logging]]).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kastrenakes |first1=Jacob |title=Boring, mundane businesses have an exhilarating, viral life on TikTok |url=https://www.theverge.com/21440183/tiktok-small-local-business-landscaping-beekeeping-home-renovation |website=The Verge |date=21 September 2020 |access-date=24 February 2021 |archive-date=23 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210323002704/https://www.theverge.com/21440183/tiktok-small-local-business-landscaping-beekeeping-home-renovation/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
In 2020, digital media companies such as [[Group Nine Media]] and [[Global Media & Entertainment|Global]] used TikTok increasingly, focusing on tactics such as brokering partnerships with TikTok influencers and developing branded content campaigns.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://digiday.com/marketing/theres-more-opportunity-publishers-on-tiktok-are-taking-branded-content-into-their-own-hands/ |title='There's more opportunity': Publishers on TikTok are taking branded content into their own hands |last1=Barber |first1=Kayleigh |last2=Joseph |first2=Seb |work=Digiday |date=23 November 2020 |access-date=24 February 2021 |archive-date=23 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210123182643/https://digiday.com/marketing/theres-more-opportunity-publishers-on-tiktok-are-taking-branded-content-into-their-own-hands/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Notable collaborations between larger brands and top TikTok influencers have included [[Chipotle Mexican Grill|Chipotle]]'s partnership with [[David Dobrik]] in May 2019<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-tiktok-strategy-includes-influencers-paid-content-guacamole-2020-4 |title=How Chipotle became one of the highest performing brands on TikTok by dominating user challenges and partnering with influencers like David Dobrik |last=Ciment |first=Shoshy |work=Business Insider |date=26 April 2020 |access-date=24 February 2021 |archive-date=8 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208182010/https://www.businessinsider.com/chipotle-tiktok-strategy-includes-influencers-paid-content-guacamole-2020-4 |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Dunkin' Donuts]]' partnership with Charli D'Amelio in September 2020.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/technology/tiktok-proves-potent-marketing-channel-some-restaurants |title=TikTok proves potent marketing channel for some restaurants |last=Guszkowski |first=Joe |work=Restaurant Business |date=4 October 2020 |access-date=24 February 2021 |archive-date=1 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101051319/https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/technology/tiktok-proves-potent-marketing-channel-some-restaurants |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
====Sex work==== | |||
TikTok is regularly used by sex workers to promote pornographic content sold on platforms such as [[OnlyFans]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Carman |first1=Ashley |title=OnlyFans stars say TikTok is making them rich |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/9/17/21439657/onlyfans-tiktok-subscribers-videos-fans |website=The Verge |access-date=7 March 2023 |date=17 September 2020}}</ref> One porn actor posted a viral song referring to himself as an "accountant", starting a trend.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Browne |first1=Ed |title=How 'Accountant' became slang for adult content on TikTok |url=https://www.newsweek.com/what-tiktok-accountant-meme-meaning-sex-work-1571598 |website=Newsweek |access-date=7 March 2023 |language=en |date=24 February 2021}}</ref> In 2020 TikTok updated their terms of service to ban content that promotes "premium sexual content", impacting a large number of adult content creators.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Dickson |first1=E. J. |title=OnlyFans Creators and Sex Workers Are Getting 'Purged' from TikTok |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/onlyfans-sex-workers-tiktok-purge-banned-1101928/ |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=7 March 2023 |date=17 December 2020 |quote=According to the new guidelines, users are forbidden from posting, streaming, or sharing nude or sexually explicit content as well as 'content that depicts, promotes, or glorifies sexual solicitation, including offering or asking for sexual partners, sexual chats or imagery, sexual services, premium sexual content, or sexcamming.'}}</ref> In response, they began substituting words in their captions and videos and using filters to censor explicit images. Evan Greer, director of [[Fight for the Future]], believes that at some point, censorship becomes a fool's errand and we would never be "able to sanitize the Internet".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lorenz |first1=Taylor |title=Internet 'algospeak' is changing our language in real time, from 'nip nops' to 'le dollar bean' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/04/08/algospeak-tiktok-le-dollar-bean/ |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=7 March 2023 |date=8 April 2022 |quote=Sex workers, who have long been censored by moderation systems, refer to themselves on TikTok as "accountants" and use the corn emoji as a substitute for the word "porn."}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Sung |first1=Morgan |title=Some OnlyFans creators have found a loophole to put their nudes on TikTok |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/viral/onlyfans-creators-loophole-nudes-tiktok-ai-filter-rcna56484 |website=NBC News |access-date=7 March 2023 |language=en |date=11 November 2022 |quote=Instead of referring to explicit photos as "nudes," for example, TikTok users will write out the word as "n00ds" or "spicy pics." Sex workers typically refer to themselves as "accountants" and refer to their content as "corn" instead of porn.}}</ref> Some adult content creators have found a way to game TikTok's recommendation algorithm by posting riddles, which attract a large number of viewers trying and failing to solve them. Some of them are redirected to the creators' OnlyFans accounts and end up as subscribers there.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dinneen |first1=Steve |title=I'm sorry but the internet is at it again. The real reason OnlyFans users are posting unsolvable riddles on TikTok |url=https://www.cityam.com/im-sorry-but-the-internet-is-at-it-again-the-real-reason-onlyfans-users-are-posting-unsolvable-riddles-on-tiktok/ |website=CityAM |access-date=7 March 2023 |date=30 January 2023 |quote=The real reason so many people are making posts like these is because they think they have worked out a way to game the TikTok algorithm, thereby increasing potential traffic to their monetised OnlyFans accounts.}}</ref> | |||
=== STEM feed === | |||
In March 2023, TikTok introduced a dedicated feed for [[science, technology, engineering, and mathematics]] (STEM) content. It works with Common Sense Networks to check for safety and age appropriateness and with the [[Poynter Institute]] for reliability of information.<ref>{{cite news|last=Sato|first=Mia|title=TikTok is adding a third feed just for science and math videos|date=2023-03-14|publisher=The Verge|url=https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/14/23638892/tiktok-stem-feed-fyp-science-technology-content-moderation}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Malik|first=Aisha|title=TikTok is adding a dedicated feed for STEM content|date=2023-03-14|publisher=Tech Crunch|url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/03/14/tiktok-is-adding-a-dedicated-feed-for-stem-content/}}</ref> | |||
=== Heating === | |||
In January 2023, ''[[Forbes]]'' reported that a "heating" tool allows TikTok to manually promote certain videos, comprising 1-2% of daily views. The practice began as a way to grow and diversify content and [[influencers]] that were not automatically picked up by the recommendation algorithm. It was also used to promote brands, artists, and NGOs, such as the [[FIFA World Cup]] and [[Taylor Swift]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Main|first=Nikki|title=TikTok Overrode Its Algorithm to Boost the World Cup and Taylor Swift|date=2023-03-13|publisher=Gizmodo|url=https://gizmodo.com/tiktok-world-cup-taylor-swift-sxsw-bytedance-1850221178}}</ref> However, some employees have abused it to promote their own accounts or those of their spouses, while others have felt that their guidelines leave too much room for discretion. TikTok said only a few individuals can approve heating in the U.S. and the promoted videos take up less than 0.002% of user feeds. To address concerns of Chinese influence, the company is negotiating with the [[Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States]] (CFIUS) such that future heating could only be performed by vetted security personnel in the U.S. and the process would be audited by third-parties such as [[Oracle Corporation|Oracle]].<ref name="Forbes">{{cite news |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilybaker-white/2023/01/20/tiktoks-secret-heating-button-can-make-anyone-go-viral/?sh=ef10e3d6bfd4 |magazine=[[Forbes]] |first=Emily |last=Baker-White |date=Jan 20, 2023 |title=TikTok's Secret 'Heating' Button Can Make Anyone Go Viral}}</ref> | |||
=== Censorship and moderation === | |||
{{Main article|Censorship by TikTok}} | |||
TikTok's and Douyin's censorship policies have been criticized as non-transparent. Internal guidelines against the promotion of violence, separatism, and "demonization of countries" could be used to prohibit content related to the [[1989 Tiananmen Square protests and massacre|Tiananmen Square crackdown]], [[Falun Gong]], Tibet, Taiwan, Chechnya, Northern Ireland, the [[Cambodian genocide]], the [[May 1998 riots of Indonesia|1998 Indonesian riots]], [[Kurdish nationalism]], ethnic conflicts between blacks and whites, or between different Islamic sects. A more specific list banned criticisms against world leaders, including past and present ones from Russia, the United States, Japan, North and South Korea, India, Indonesia, and Turkey.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/sep/25/revealed-how-tiktok-censors-videos-that-do-not-please-beijing |title=Revealed: how TikTok censors videos that do not please Beijing |last=Hern |first=Alex |date=25 September 2019 |work=[[The Guardian]] |quote=Notably absent from the list is Xi Jinping |access-date=25 September 2019 |issn=0261-3077|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191021015127/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/sep/25/revealed-how-tiktok-censors-videos-that-do-not-please-beijing |archive-date=21 October 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=TelegraphDouyin>{{Cite news|last=Dodds|first=Laurence|date=12 July 2020|title=Inside TikTok's dystopian Chinese censorship machine|work=The Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2020/07/12/inside-tiktoks-dystopian-chinese-censorship-machine/|url-status=live|access-date=12 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200712114053/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/2020/07/12/inside-tiktoks-dystopian-chinese-censorship-machine/|archive-date=12 July 2020|issn=0307-1235}}</ref> In 2019, TikTok took down a video about human rights abuses in the [[Xinjiang internment camps]] against [[Uyghur genocide|Uyghurs]] but restored it after 50 minutes as well as the creator's account, saying that the action was a mistake and triggered by a brief "satirical" image of [[Osama bin Laden]] in another post.<ref name="ABC AU Xinjiang">{{Cite news|last=Handley|first=Erin|date=28 November 2019|title=TikTok parent company complicit in censorship and Xinjiang police propaganda: report|work=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-28/tiktok-huawei-surveillance-censorship-in-xinjiang-china-report/11745494|url-status=live|access-date=23 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226141359/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-28/tiktok-huawei-surveillance-censorship-in-xinjiang-china-report/11745494|archive-date=26 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=29 November 2019|title=TikTok apologises for deleting Feroza Aziz's video on plight of Muslim Uyghurs in China|work=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]]|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-29/tiktok-apologises-teen-aziz-feroza-muslim-uyghurs-video/11750934}}</ref> | |||
TikTok moderators were instructed to suppress posts from "For You" recommendations if the users shown were deemed "too ugly, poor, or disabled".<ref name="theintercept">{{Cite news|last1=Biddle|first1=Sam|url=https://theintercept.com/2020/03/16/tiktok-app-moderators-users-discrimination/|title=Invisible Censorship – TikTok Told Moderators to Suppress Posts by "Ugly" People and the Poor to Attract New Users|date=16 March 2020|work=[[The Intercept]]|access-date=17 March 2020|url-status=live|last2=Ribeiro|first2=Paulo Victor|last3=Dias|first3=Tatiana|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200317011112/https://theintercept.com/2020/03/16/tiktok-app-moderators-users-discrimination/|archive-date=17 March 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Hern|first=Alex|date=17 March 2020|title=TikTok 'tried to filter out videos from ugly, poor or disabled users'|work=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/mar/17/tiktok-tried-to-filter-out-videos-from-ugly-poor-or-disabled-users|url-status=live|access-date=17 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200317174644/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2020/mar/17/tiktok-tried-to-filter-out-videos-from-ugly-poor-or-disabled-users|archive-date=17 March 2020}}</ref> The consumption of alcohol, full or partial nudity, [[LGBT community|LGBT]] and [[intersex]] contents were restricted even in places where they are legal.<ref name=":4">{{cite news|last=Hern|first=Alex|date=26 September 2019|title=TikTok's local moderation guidelines ban pro-LGBT content|work=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/sep/26/tiktoks-local-moderation-guidelines-ban-pro-lgbt-content|url-status=live|access-date=26 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190926144822/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/sep/26/tiktoks-local-moderation-guidelines-ban-pro-lgbt-content|archive-date=26 September 2019|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> TikTok has since apologized and instituted a ban against anti-LGBTQ ideology, but censorship continues on Douyin due to regulations in China.<ref name="Hung" /><ref name=":3">{{cite web|last=Sanchez|first=Kait|date=2021-06-04|title=TikTok says the repeat removal of the intersex hashtag was a mistake|url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/4/22519433/tiktok-intersex-ban-mistake-moderation-transparency|access-date=2021-06-06|website=The Verge}}</ref> Douyin guidelines also forbid live broadcasting by unregistered foreigners, "feudal superstition", "money worship", smoking and drinking, [[competitive eating]] by the "already obese", "toxic" [[slime (toy)#Toxicity scare|slime]], "pornographic" ASMR such as ear-licking, and female anchors wearing revealing clothes.<ref name="TelegraphDouyin" /> | |||
ByteDance said its early guidelines were global and aimed at reducing online harassment and divisiveness when its platforms were still growing. They have been replaced by versions customized by local teams for users in different regions.<ref>{{cite news|last=Criddle|first=Cristina|date=12 February 2020|title=Transgender users accuse TikTok of censorship|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-51474114|url-status=live|access-date=12 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213170813/https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-51474114|archive-date=13 February 2020}}</ref> | |||
A March 2021 study by the Citizen Lab found that TikTok did not censor searches politically but was inconclusive about whether posts are.<ref name="citizenlab/tiktok-douyin"/><ref name="citizenlabexplained">{{Cite journal |title=TikTok and Douyin Explained |date=22 March 2021 |website=The Citizen Lab |url=https://citizenlab.ca/2021/03/tiktok-and-douyin-explained/}}</ref> A 2023 paper by the Internet Governance Project at Georgia Institute of Technology found no pro-China censorship on TikTok.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Mueller |first1=Miller |last2=Farhat |first2=Karim |title=TikTok and US national security |url=https://www.internetgovernance.org/wp-content/uploads/TikTok-and-US-national-security-3.pdf |publisher=Internet Governance Project}}</ref> | |||
Following increased scrutiny, TikTok said it is granting some outside experts access to the platform's anonymized data sets and protocols, including filters, keywords, criteria for heating, and source code.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roth |first=Emma |date=2022-07-27 |title=TikTok to provide researchers with more transparency as damaging reports mount |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/7/27/23280406/tiktok-researchers-api-transparency-damaging-reports-china |access-date=2023-03-01 |website=The Verge |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Ghaffary |first=Shirin |date=2023-02-03 |title=Behind the scenes at TikTok as it campaigns to change Americans' hearts and minds |url=https://www.vox.com/recode/2023/2/2/23582202/tiktok-headquarters-press-accountability-ban-trump |website=The Verge}}</ref> | |||
=== Extremism and hate === | |||
Concerns have been voiced regarding content relating to, and the promotion and spreading of [[hate speech]] and far-right extremism, such as [[antisemitism]], racism, and xenophobia. Some videos were shown to expressly promote [[Holocaust denial]] and told viewers to take up arms and fight in the name of white supremacy and the [[swastika]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Weimann & Masri |title=Research Note: Spreading Hate on TikTok |journal=Studies in Conflict & Terrorism |date=2020-05-25 |volume=46 |issue=5 |pages=752–765 |doi=10.1080/1057610X.2020.1780027 |s2cid=225776569 |url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1057610X.2020.1780027 |access-date=2 March 2021 |archive-date=24 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210524231908/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1057610X.2020.1780027 |url-status=live }}</ref> As TikTok has gained popularity among young children,<ref>{{cite news |last1=BBC |title=TikTok 'family safety mode' gives parents some app control |work=BBC News |date=19 February 2020 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-51561050 |access-date=2 March 2021 |archive-date=26 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126084919/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-51561050 |url-status=live }}</ref> and the popularity of extremist and hateful content is growing, calls for tighter restrictions on their flexible boundaries have been made. TikTok has since released tougher parental controls to filter out inappropriate content and to ensure they can provide sufficient protection and security.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Stokel-Walker|first1=Chris|title=TikTok will make under-16s' accounts private by default to protect them from groomers|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-tightens-privacy-of-accounts-belonging-to-under-16s-2021-1?r=US&IR=T|url-status=live|access-date=2 March 2021|website=BusinessInsider|archive-date=14 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210114182339/https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-tightens-privacy-of-accounts-belonging-to-under-16s-2021-1?r=US&IR=T}}</ref> | |||
In Malaysia, TikTok is used by some users to engage in hate speech against race and religion especially mentioning the [[13 May incident]] after the [[2022 Malaysian general election|2022 election]]. TikTok responded by taking down videos with content that violated their community guidelines.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/2204766/media |title= Hate speech emerges on Malaysian TikTok as political uncertainty drags out. |work=[[Arab News]] |last=Tan |first=Arlene |date=23 November 2022|access-date=4 December 2022}}</ref> | |||
In March 2023, ''[[The Jewish Chronicle]]'' reported that TikTok still hosted videos that promoted the [[Neo-Nazism|neo-Nazi]] propaganda film ''[[Europa: The Last Battle]]'', despite having been alerted to the issue four months prior. TikTok said it removed and would continue to remove the content and associated accounts and has blocked the search term as well.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pope |first=Felix |date=March 2, 2023 |title=TikTok is still hosting Nazi propaganda, despite warnings |url=https://www.thejc.com/news/news/tiktok-is-still-hosting-nazi-propaganda-despite-warnings-4gQbtSbh62F740bRGs8Kpy |access-date=2023-03-26 |website=[[The Jewish Chronicle]]}}</ref> | |||
==== ISIL propaganda ==== | |||
{{Main|Use of social media by the Islamic State}} | |||
In October 2019, TikTok removed about two dozen accounts that were responsible for posting [[Use of social media by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant|ISIL propaganda]] and execution videos on the app.<ref>{{cite web|last=Feuer|first=William|date=22 October 2019|title=TikTok removes two dozen accounts used for ISIS propaganda|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/21/tiktok-removes-two-dozen-accounts-used-for-isis-propaganda.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022103227/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/21/tiktok-removes-two-dozen-accounts-used-for-isis-propaganda.html|archive-date=22 October 2019|access-date=21 October 2019|website=CNBC}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Wells|first=Georgia|date=23 October 2019|title=Islamic State's TikTok Posts Include Beheading Videos|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/islamic-states-tiktok-posts-include-beheading-videos-11571855833|url-status=live|access-date=25 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191025214023/https://www.wsj.com/articles/islamic-states-tiktok-posts-include-beheading-videos-11571855833|archive-date=25 October 2019}}</ref> | |||
=== Misinformation === | |||
{{See also|COVID-19 misinformation}} | |||
TikTok has banned Holocaust denial, but other conspiracy theories have become popular on the platform, such as [[Pizzagate]] and [[QAnon]] (two conspiracy theories popular among the U.S. [[alt-right]]) whose hashtags reached almost 80 million views and 50 million views respectively by June 2020.<ref name=":8">{{cite web|last=Dellinger|first=A. J.|date=22 June 2020|title=Conspiracy theories are finding a hungry audience on TikTok|url=https://www.mic.com/p/conspiracy-theories-are-finding-a-hungry-audience-on-tiktok-23620372|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708121051/https://www.mic.com/p/conspiracy-theories-are-finding-a-hungry-audience-on-tiktok-23620372|archive-date=8 July 2020|access-date=24 June 2020|website=Mic}}</ref> The platform has also been used to spread misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic, such as clips from ''[[Plandemic]]''.<ref name=":8" /> TikTok removed some of these videos and has generally added links to accurate COVID-19 information on videos with tags related to the pandemic.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Strapagiel|first=Lauren|date=27 May 2020|title=COVID-19 Conspiracy Theorists Have Found A New Home On TikTok|url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/laurenstrapagiel/pandemic-conspiracy-theorists-disinformation-tiktok|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622011451/https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/laurenstrapagiel/pandemic-conspiracy-theorists-disinformation-tiktok|archive-date=22 June 2020|access-date=24 June 2020|website=BuzzFeed News}}</ref> | |||
In January 2020, left-leaning media watchdog [[Media Matters for America]] said that TikTok hosted [[misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic]] despite a recent policy against misinformation.<ref>{{cite web |title=TikTok is hosting videos spreading misinformation about the coronavirus, despite the platform's new anti-misinformation policy |url=https://www.mediamatters.org/fake-news/tiktok-hosting-videos-spreading-misinformation-about-coronavirus-despite-platforms-new |last=Kaplan |first=Alex |date=28 January 2020 |website=[[Media Matters for America]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518132317/https://www.mediamatters.org/fake-news/tiktok-hosting-videos-spreading-misinformation-about-coronavirus-despite-platforms-new |archive-date=18 May 2020 |access-date=25 May 2020}}</ref> In April 2020, the government of India asked TikTok to remove users posting misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kalra |first=Aditya |date=7 April 2020|title=India asks TikTok, Facebook to remove users spreading coronavirus misinformation |publisher=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-india-socialmedia-idUSKBN21P2QI |url-status=live |access-date=25 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200505144912/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-india-socialmedia-idUSKBN21P2QI|archive-date=5 May 2020}}</ref> There were also multiple conspiracy theories that the government is involved with the spread of the pandemic.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=On TikTok, COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories Flourish Amid Viral Dances|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/tiktok-conspiracy-theories-bill-gates-microchip-vaccine-996394/ |last=Dickson|first=E.J. |date=13 May 2020 |magazine=Rolling Stone |access-date=27 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527140407/https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/tiktok-conspiracy-theories-bill-gates-microchip-vaccine-996394/|archive-date=27 May 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> As a response to this, TikTok launched a feature to report content for misinformation.<ref>{{cite web |title=Our efforts towards fighting misinformation in times of COVID-19 |url=https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/our-efforts-towards-fighting-misinformation-in-times-of-coronavirus/ |date=16 August 2019 |website=TikTok |access-date=27 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529215753/https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/our-efforts-towards-fighting-misinformation-in-times-of-coronavirus |archive-date=29 May 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> It reported that in the second half of 2020, over 340,000 videos in the U.S. about election misinformation and 50,000 videos of COVID-19 misinformation were removed.<ref name=mashable19sep2022>{{cite web | url=https://mashable.com/article/tiktok-misinformation-report-newsguard-abortion | title=TikTok's search suggests misinformation almost 20 percent of the time, says report | website=[[Mashable]] | date=19 September 2022 }}</ref> | |||
To combat misinformation in the 2022 midterm election in the US, TikTok announced a midterms Elections Center available in-app to users in 40 different languages. TikTok partnered with the [[National Association of Secretaries of State]] to give accurate local information to users.<ref>{{cite web |title=TikTok launches an in-app US midterms Elections Center, shares plan to fight misinformation |url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/08/17/tiktok-launches-an-in-app-u-s-midterms-elections-center-shares-plan-to-fight-misinformation/ |date=17 August 2022 |website=Newsroom {{!}} TikTok |access-date=17 August 2022}}</ref> | |||
In September 2022, [[NewsGuard]] Technologies reported that among the TikTok searches it had conducted and analyzed from the U.S., 19.4% surfaced misinformation such as questionable or harmful content about [[COVID-19 vaccine]]s, homemade remedies, the [[2020 United States elections#Public perceptions and analysis|2020 US elections]], the [[2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine|war in Ukraine]], the [[Robb Elementary School shooting]], and abortion. NewsGuard suggested that in contrast, results from [[Google]] were of higher quality.<ref>{{cite web |title=Misinformation Monitor: September 2022 |url=https://www.newsguardtech.com/misinformation-monitor/september-2022/ |website=NewsGuard |publisher=NewsGuard Technologies, Inc}}</ref> [[Mashable]]'s own test from Australia found innocuous results after searching for "getting my COVID vaccine" but suggestions such as "climate change is a myth" after typing in "climate change".<ref name=mashable19sep2022 /> | |||
=== Russian invasion of Ukraine === | |||
{{Further information|Disinformation in the Russian invasion of Ukraine}} | |||
As of 2022, TikTok is the 10th most popular app in Russia.<ref name=guardian10mar2022>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/mar/10/tiktok-users-in-russia-can-see-only-old-russian-made-content |title=TikTok users in Russia can see only old Russian-made content |first=Dan |last=Milmo |date=10 March 2022 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |location=London |issn=0261-3077 |access-date=2022-05-25}}</ref> After a new set of [[Russian fake news laws#2022 war censorship laws|Russian fake news laws]] was installed in March 2022, the company announced a series of restrictions on Russian and non-Russian posts and livestreams.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/06/tiktok-suspends-content-in-russia-in-response-to-fake-news-law/ |title=TikTok suspends content in Russia in response to 'fake news' law |publisher=Techcrunch.com |date=2022-02-24 |access-date=19 March 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/03/06/tiktok-russia-putin-fake-news-law/ |title=TikTok suspends new posts in Russia due to the country's recent 'fake news' law |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |place=London |date=2022-03-06 |access-date=19 March 2022}}</ref> ''Tracking Exposed'', a user data rights group, learned of what was likely a technical glitch that became exploited by pro-Russia posters. It stated that although this and other loopholes were patched by TikTok before the end of March, the initial failure to correctly implement the restrictions, in addition to the effects from Kremlin's "fake news" laws, contributed to the formation of a "splInternet ... dominated by pro-war content" in Russia.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Faddoul |first1=Marc |last2=Romano |first2=Salvatore |last3=Rama |first3=Ilir |last4=Kerby |first4=Natalie |last5=Giorgi |first5=Giulia |date=13 April 2022 |title=Content Restrictions on TikTok in Russia following the Ukrainian War |url=https://tracking.exposed/pdf/tiktok-russia-12april2022.pdf |publisher=Tracking Exposed |quote=cannot be solely attributed to TikTok's content restriction policies. The 'fake news' law ... is likely to have also increased the level of self-censorship ... likely to be a technical glitch ... these loopholes and tried to patch them}}</ref><ref name=guardian10mar2022 /> TikTok said that it had removed 204 accounts for swaying public opinion about the war while obscuring their origins and that its fact checkers had removed 41,191 videos for violating its misinformation policies.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/04/13/study-finds-tiktiks-ban-on-uploads-in-russia-failed-leaving-it-dominated-by-pro-war-content/ |title=Study finds TikTok's ban on uploads in Russia failed, leaving it dominated by pro-war content – TechCrunch |publisher=Techcrunch.com |date=2022-04-13 |access-date=2022-05-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2022/04/12/tiktok-russian-state-media-propaganda/ |title=Russian state media is still posting to TikTok a month after the app blocked new content – TechCrunch |publisher=Techcrunch.com |date=2021-04-30 |access-date=2022-05-25}}</ref> | |||
== User privacy == | |||
[[Digital privacy|Privacy]] concerns have also been brought up regarding the app.<ref name="Wong2019">{{cite web|last=Wong|first=Queenie|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/tiktok-accused-of-secretly-gathering-user-data-and-sending-it-to-china/|title=TikTok accused of secretly gathering user data and sending it to China|publisher=[[CNET]]|date=2 December 2019|access-date=27 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200506065834/https://www.cnet.com/news/tiktok-accused-of-secretly-gathering-user-data-and-sending-it-to-china/|archive-date=6 May 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Bergman|first1=Ronen|last2=Frenkel|first2=Sheera|last3=Zhong|first3=Raymond|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/08/technology/tiktok-security-flaws.html|title=Major TikTok Security Flaws Found|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=8 January 2020|access-date=27 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200410180937/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/08/technology/tiktok-security-flaws.html|archive-date=10 April 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> In its privacy policy, TikTok lists that it collects [[Usage data|usage information]], [[IP address]]es, a user's [[Mobile network operator|mobile carrier]], [[Organizationally unique identifier|unique device identifier]]s, [[Keystroke dynamics|keystroke patterns]], and [[Geographic data and information|location data]], among other data.<ref name="Mahadevan2020">{{cite web|last=Mahadevan|first=Tara C.|url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2020/02/reddit-ceo-calls-tiktok-fundamentally-parasitic|title=TikTok Responds After Reddit CEO Calls It 'Fundamentally Parasitic'|work=[[Complex (magazine)|Complex]]|date=27 February 2020|access-date=27 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228191214/https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2020/02/reddit-ceo-calls-tiktok-fundamentally-parasitic|archive-date=28 February 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="PrivacyPolicy">{{cite web|url=https://www.tiktok.com/legal/privacy-policy?lang=en|title=Privacy Policy (If you are a user having your usual residence in the US)|website=TikTok|access-date=27 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200426000353/https://www.tiktok.com/legal/privacy-policy?lang=en|archive-date=26 April 2020}}</ref> | |||
In January 2020, [[Check Point|Check Point Research]] discovered a [[vulnerability (computing)|vulnerability]], later [[patch (computing)|patch]]ed by TikTok, whereby a hacker could [[spoofing attack|spoof]] TikTok's official [[SMS]] messages and replace them with malicious links to gain access to user accounts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/tech/tiktok-flaws-could-have-allowed-hackers-access-to-user-accounts-through-an-sms/story-2bRiI7rtvIC9GF38h9SHhN.html|title=TikTok flaws could have allowed hackers access to user accounts through an SMS|date=8 January 2020|website=Hindustan Times|access-date=8 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200108163200/https://www.hindustantimes.com/tech/tiktok-flaws-could-have-allowed-hackers-access-to-user-accounts-through-an-sms/story-2bRiI7rtvIC9GF38h9SHhN.html|archive-date=8 January 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
In February, [[Reddit]] CEO [[Steve Huffman]] criticized the app, calling it "[[spyware]]".<ref name="Hamilton2020">{{cite web|last=Hamilton|first=Isobel Asher|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/reddit-ceo-steve-huffman-says-tiktok-is-parasitic-2020-2|title=Reddit's CEO described TikTok as 'parasitic' and 'spyware'|website=[[Business Insider]]|date=27 February 2020|access-date=27 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200426183949/https://www.businessinsider.com/reddit-ceo-steve-huffman-says-tiktok-is-parasitic-2020-2|archive-date=26 April 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Matney|first=Lucas|url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/02/26/reddit-ceo-tiktok-is-fundamentally-parasitic/|title=Reddit CEO: TikTok is 'fundamentally parasitic'|publisher=[[TechCrunch]]|date=27 February 2020|access-date=27 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200424201432/https://techcrunch.com/2020/02/26/reddit-ceo-tiktok-is-fundamentally-parasitic/|archive-date=24 April 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> TikTok said the accusations were made without evidence.<ref name=Mahadevan2020/> | |||
In July, [[Wells Fargo]] banned the app from company devices due to privacy and security concerns.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Levitt|first=Hannah|date=11 July 2020|title=Wells Fargo Tells Workers to Remove TikTok App From Work Phones|work=Bloomberg News|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-11/wells-fargo-tells-workers-to-remove-tiktok-app-from-work-phones|url-status=live|access-date=11 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200711063344/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-07-11/wells-fargo-tells-workers-to-remove-tiktok-app-from-work-phones|archive-date=11 July 2020}}</ref> | |||
In August 2020, ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' reported that TikTok tracked Android user data, including [[MAC address]]es and [[IMEI]]s, with a tactic in violation of Google's policies.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Poulsen|first1=Kevin|last2=McMillan|first2=Robert|date=11 August 2020|title=TikTok Tracked User Data Using Tactic Banned by Google|work=The Wall Street Journal|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-tracked-user-data-using-tactic-banned-by-google-11597176738|url-status=live|access-date=12 August 2020|issn=0099-9660|archive-date=12 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200812015305/https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-tracked-user-data-using-tactic-banned-by-google-11597176738}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Brandom|first=Russell|date=11 August 2020|title=TikTok collected device identifiers for over a year in violation of Android policies|url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/11/21364017/tiktok-mac-address-collected-identifier-android-violation|access-date=11 September 2020|website=[[The Verge]]|archive-date=12 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112195835/https://www.theverge.com/2020/8/11/21364017/tiktok-mac-address-collected-identifier-android-violation|url-status=live}}</ref> The report sparked calls in the U.S. Senate for the [[Federal Trade Commission]] (FTC) to launch an investigation.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Choi|first=Euirim|date=13 August 2020|title=Senators Ask FTC to Investigate TikTok Data Collection|work=[[The Wall Street Journal]]|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/senators-ask-ftc-to-investigate-tiktok-data-collection-11597355356|access-date=14 August 2020|issn=0099-9660|archive-date=14 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814152243/https://www.wsj.com/articles/senators-ask-ftc-to-investigate-tiktok-data-collection-11597355356|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
A March 2021 study by the [[Citizen Lab]] found that TikTok did not collect data beyond the industry norms, what its policy stated, or without additional user permission.<ref name="citizenlabexplained" /> | |||
In June 2021, TikTok updated its privacy policy to include potential collection of [[biometrics|biometric data]], including "faceprints and voiceprints", for special effects and other purposes. The terms said that user authorization would be requested if local law demands such.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Perez|first=Sarah|date=4 June 2021|title=TikTok just gave itself permission to collect biometric data on US users, including 'faceprints and voiceprints'|work=TechCrunch|url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/06/03/tiktok-just-gave-itself-permission-to-collect-biometric-data-on-u-s-users-including-faceprints-and-voiceprints/|access-date=3 July 2021}}</ref> Experts considered the terms to be "vague" and their implications "problematic" in light of the general lack of robust data privacy laws in the United States.<ref>{{Cite news|last=McCluskey|first=Megan|date=14 June 2021|title=TikTok Has Started Collecting Your 'Faceprints' and 'Voiceprints.' Here's What It Could Do With Them|magazine=Time|url= https://time.com/6071773/tiktok-faceprints-voiceprints-privacy/|access-date=3 July 2021}}</ref> Also in June, CNBC reported that according to former TikTok employees, some staff members in China and employees at ByteDance had access to US user data.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Rodriguez|first=Salvador|date=25 June 2021|title=TikTok insiders say social media company is tightly controlled by Chinese parent ByteDance|work=[[CNBC]]|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/25/tiktok-insiders-say-chinese-parent-bytedance-in-control.html|access-date=4 July 2021}}</ref> | |||
In October 2021, following the [[Facebook Files]] and controversies about social media ethics, a bipartisan group of lawmakers also pressed TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat on questions of data privacy and moderation for age-appropriate content. Lawmakers also "hammered" TikTok about whether consumer data could be turned over to Beijing through ByteDance, its parent company in China.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=McCabe|first1=David|last2=Conger|first2=Kate|last3=Wakabayashi|first3=Daisuke|date=2021-10-26|title=YouTube, Snap and TikTok executives take their turn answering to Washington.|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/26/technology/youtube-snap-and-tiktok-executives-take-their-turn-answering-to-washington.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/26/technology/youtube-snap-and-tiktok-executives-take-their-turn-answering-to-washington.html |archive-date=2021-12-28 |url-access=limited|access-date=2021-10-29|issn=0362-4331}}{{cbignore}}</ref> TikTok said it does not give information to China's government and "U.S. user data" is stored within the country with backups in Singapore. According to the company's representative, TikTok had "no affiliation" with the subsidiary Beijing ByteDance Technology, in which the Chinese government has a minority stake and board seat.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Bartz|first1=Diane|last2=Dang|first2=Sheila|date=2021-10-26|title=TikTok tells U.S. lawmakers it does not give information to China's government|language=en|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/tiktok-tells-us-lawmakers-it-does-not-give-information-chinas-government-2021-10-26/|access-date=2021-10-29}}</ref> | |||
In August 2022, software engineer and security researcher Felix Krause found that in-app browsers from TikTok and other platforms contained [[computer program|codes]] for [[keylogger]] functionality but did not have the means to further investigate whether any data was tracked or recorded. TikTok said that the code is disabled.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McKinnon |first=Grace |date=2022-08-22 |title=TikTok's in-app browser can monitor your keystrokes, including passwords and credit cards, researcher says |language=en-AU |work=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |publisher=[[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]] |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-22/tiktok-in-app-browser-can-monitor-keystrokes-researcher-finds/101356198 |access-date=2023-01-19}}</ref> | |||
In a November 2022 update to its European privacy policy, TikTok stated that its global corporate group employees from China and other countries could gain remote access to the user information of accounts from Europe based on "demonstrated need".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-gb/an-update-to-our-privacy-policy | title=Sharing an Update to our Privacy Policy | date=2 November 2022 | website=TikTok}}</ref> | |||
In May 2023, ''The Wall Street Journal'' reported that former employees complained about TikTok tracking users who had viewed LGBT-related content, leading to fears of collected data potentially usable for blackmail.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=May 5, 2023 |title=TikTok Tracked Users Who Watched Gay Content, Prompting Employee Complaints |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-tracked-users-who-watched-gay-content-prompting-employee-complaints-5966a5f5 |access-date=2023-05-06 |website=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |language=en-US}}</ref> It also reported that a former employee from 2018 was suing TikTok's parent, ByteDance, for wrongful termination from his job. The suit alleges that Hong Kong users' device information and communications were accessed by [[Chinese Communist Party]] members. ByteDance denied the claims and said the employee worked on a defunct project. The company pulled TikTok out of Hong Kong in 2020.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wells |first=Georgia |date=2023-06-05 |title=Former ByteDance Executive Claims Chinese Communist Party Accessed TikTok's Hong Kong User Data |language=en-US |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/former-bytedance-executive-claims-chinese-communist-party-accessed-tiktoks-hong-kong-user-data-e9d5554f |url-access=subscription |access-date=2023-06-30 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref> | |||
In June 2023, TikTok confirmed that some financial information, such as tax forms and [[Social Security number]]s, of American content creators are stored in China. This applies to those signing contracts with and receiving payment transactions from ByteDance. Whether similar information will remain exempt from being treated as "protected user data" is being negotiated with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Levine |first=Alexandra S. |title=TikTok Confirms Some U.S. User Data Is Stored In China |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandralevine/2023/06/21/tiktok-confirms-data-china-bytedance-security-cfius/ |access-date=2023-06-29 |website=[[Forbes]] |language=en}}</ref> | |||
=== Underage users === | |||
As with other platforms popular with children, underage users may inadvertently reveal their daily routine and whereabouts, raising concerns of potential misuse by [[sexual predator]]s.<ref name="2018-11-16-cnetfr">{{cite web|url=https://www.cnetfrance.fr/news/les-dangers-de-tik-tok-pour-vos-enfants-et-comment-s-en-premunir-39876613.htm|title=Les dangers de Tik Tok pour vos enfants et comment s'en prémunir|website=CNET France|date=16 November 2018 |access-date=1 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302024645/https://www.cnetfrance.fr/news/les-dangers-de-tik-tok-pour-vos-enfants-et-comment-s-en-premunir-39876613.htm|archive-date=2 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wnct.com/news/national/tik-tok-app-raises-concerns-for-young-users/1461767694|title=Tik Tok app raises concerns for young users|last=WSPA|date=20 September 2018|website=WNCT|access-date=1 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190301164646/https://www.wnct.com/news/national/tik-tok-app-raises-concerns-for-young-users/1461767694|archive-date=1 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> At the time of reporting (2018), TikTok had only two privacy settings, either private or completely public, without any middle ground.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2147993/tik-tok-worlds-most-popular-iphone-app-under-fire-over-lack|title=Tik Tok, currently the world's most popular iPhone app, under fire over lack of privacy settings – Tech News – The Star Online|first=Karen|last=Zhang|website=scmp.com|access-date=1 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190303082457/https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2147993/tik-tok-worlds-most-popular-iphone-app-under-fire-over-lack|archive-date=3 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Comment sections of "sexy" videos, such as young girls dancing in revealing clothes, were found to contain requests for nude pictures. TikTok itself forbids direct messaging of videos and photos, which meant follow-up interactions, if any, would have to take place in some other form.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/j5zbmx/tiktok-the-app-super-popular-with-kids-has-a-nudes-problem|title=TikTok, the App Super Popular With Kids, Has a Nudes Problem|first1=Jason|last1=Koebler|first2=Joseph|last2=Cox|date=6 December 2018|work=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]|access-date=1 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190228232537/https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/j5zbmx/tiktok-the-app-super-popular-with-kids-has-a-nudes-problem|archive-date=28 February 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=theweek>{{cite web|url=https://www.theweek.co.uk/98559/what-is-tiktok-and-is-it-safe|title=What is TikTok and is it safe?|website=The Week UK|access-date=1 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302024726/https://www.theweek.co.uk/98559/what-is-tiktok-and-is-it-safe|archive-date=2 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
On 22 January 2021, the Italian Data Protection Authority demanded that TikTok temporarily suspend Italian users whose age could not be established.<ref>{{cite web|date=2021-01-22|title=Italy takes action against Tik Tok following girl's death|url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/nation/story/2021-01-22/italy-takes-action-against-tik-tok-following-girls-death|access-date=2021-01-22|website=San Diego Union-Tribune|archive-date=29 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210129104045/https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/nation/story/2021-01-22/italy-takes-action-against-tik-tok-following-girls-death|url-status=live}}</ref> The order came after the death of a 10-year-old Sicilian girl involved in an Internet challenge. TikTok asked its users in Italy to confirm again that they were over 13 years old. By May, over 500,000 accounts had been removed for failing the age check.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lomas|first=Natasha|title=TikTok removes 500k+ accounts in Italy after DPA order to block underage users|date=2021-05-12|publisher=Tech Crunch|url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/05/12/tiktok-removes-500k-accounts-in-italy-after-dpa-order-to-block-underage-users/}}</ref> | |||
In July 2021, the Dutch Data Protection Authority fined TikTok €750,000 euros for offering privacy statements only in English but not in Dutch. It noted that TikTok had implemented positive measures, such as forbidding direct messaging for users younger than 16 and allowing their parents to manage privacy settings directly through a paired family account, but the risk of children pretending to be older when creating their account remains.<ref name=DutchEDPB /><ref>{{cite news|title=Dutch data protection authority fines TikTok over privacy|date=2021-07-22|work=Associated Press News|url=https://apnews.com/article/technology-europe-business-data-privacy-0f62eda2f5c20cb431ccde994f5357bd}}</ref> | |||
TikTok raised the minimum age for livestreaming from 16 to 18 after a BBC News investigation found hundreds of accounts going live from Syrian refugee camps. 30 of them showed children begging for digital donation. TikTok reportedly took a 70% commission from some of them, a figure that the company disputed.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-10-19 |title=TikTok to ban children from livestreaming |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-63262102 |access-date=2022-10-21}}</ref> | |||
=== Journalist spying scandal === | |||
In June 2022, ''[[BuzzFeed News]]'' reported that leaked audio recordings of internal TikTok meetings reveal employees in China had access to overseas data, including a "master admin" who could see "everything". Some of the recordings were made during consultations with [[Booz Allen Hamilton]], a US government contractor. A spokesperson of the contractor said some of the report's information was inaccurate but would neither confirm nor deny whether TikTok was one of its clients.<ref name=":15">{{Cite web |title=Leaked Audio From 80 Internal TikTok Meetings Shows That US User Data Has Been Repeatedly Accessed From China |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/emilybakerwhite/tiktok-tapes-us-user-data-china-bytedance-access |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=BuzzFeed News |date=17 June 2022 |language=en}}</ref> Following the reports, TikTok confirmed that employees in China could have access to U.S. data.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Vanian |first=Jonathan |title=TikTok tells U.S. lawmakers it's working to stop user data from being accessible to Chinese employees |date=1 July 2022 |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/07/01/tiktok-says-its-working-to-protect-user-data-from-chinese-employees.html |publisher=CNBC}}</ref> It also announced that US user traffic would now be routed through [[Oracle Cloud]] and that backup copies would be deleted from other servers.<ref name=":52">{{cite web |date=June 19, 2022 |title=TikTok and Oracle teamed up after all, but concerns about data privacy remain |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/6/19/23174775/tiktok-oracle-team-up-concerns-data-privacy-remain |website=The Verge}}</ref> | |||
In October 2022, ''Forbes'' reported that a team at ByteDance planned to surveil certain US citizens for undisclosed reasons. TikTok said that the tracking method suggested by the report would not be feasible because precise GPS information is not collected by the platform.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-63339878 | title=TikTok denies it could be used to track US citizens | publisher=BBC News |date=21 October 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilybaker-white/2022/10/20/tiktok-bytedance-surveillance-american-user-data/?sh=60c8c3466c2d | title=TikTok Parent ByteDance Planned To Use TikTok To Monitor The Physical Location Of Specific American Citizens | work=Forbes |date=21 October 2022 }}</ref> In December 2022, ByteDance confirmed after internal investigation that the data of two journalists and their close contacts had been accessed by its employees from China and the United States on an "audit" team. The audit was intended to uncover sources of leaks who might have met with the journalists from ''Forbes'' and the ''Financial Times''. The data accessed included IP addresses, which can be used to approximate a user's location. Four employees have been terminated, including the audit team's lead Chris Lepitak and his superior, executive Song Ye. ByteDance and TikTok condemned the individuals' misuse of authority.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Duffy |first=Clare |date=2022-12-22 |title=TikTok confirms that journalists' data was accessed by employees of its parent company {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/22/tech/tiktok-bytedance-journalist-data/index.html |access-date=2022-12-23 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref> The incident is being investigated by the US Department of Justice and FBI.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Brodkin|first1=Jon |title=US investigates TikTok owner ByteDance's surveillance of journalists |url=https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2023/03/us-investigates-tiktok-owner-bytedances-surveillance-of-journalists/ |date=17 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Baker-White |first=Emily |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilybaker-white/2022/12/22/tiktok-tracks-forbes-journalists-bytedance/ | title=TikTok Spied On Forbes Journalists | work=Forbes |date=22 December 2022 }}</ref><ref name=Fung /> The US Attorney for the [[United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia|Eastern District of Virginia]] reportedly subpoenaed information from ByteDance regarding efforts made to access US journalists' private user data using TikTok.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Baker-White |first=Emily |date=March 16, 2023 |title=The FBI And DOJ Are Investigating ByteDance's Use Of TikTok To Spy On Journalists |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilybaker-white/2023/03/16/fbi-doj-investigating-bytedance-tiktok-surveillance-journalists/?sh=f2ac81fa6fc2 |website=[[Forbes]]}}</ref> | |||
=== European data privacy investigations === | |||
In September 2021, the Ireland [[Data Protection Commission]] (DPC) launched investigations into TikTok concerning the protection of minors' data and transfers of personal data to China.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Bodoni|first=Stephanie|date=14 September 2021|title=TikTok Faces EU Data Probes Into Children's Safety, China Link|work=[[Bloomberg News]]|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-14/tiktok-faces-eu-data-probes-into-children-s-safety-china-link|access-date=14 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=14 September 2021|title=TikTok's lead EU regulator opens two data privacy probes|work=[[Reuters]]|url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/ireland-regulator-opens-data-privacy-probes-into-tiktok-2021-09-14/|access-date=14 September 2021}}</ref> The Irish DPC became the lead agency to handle such matters after TikTok established an office in the country, taking over investigations started by Dutch and Italian authorities.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance|title=Italian Data Protection Authority Warns TikTok Over Its Privacy Policy Revision|date=1 August 2022|website=Lexology|publisher=Law Business Research|url=https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=d90d140a-dca7-479a-bf04-87db479a087e}}</ref><ref name=DutchEDPB>{{Cite web|title=Dutch DPA: TikTok fined for violating children's privacy|date=22 July 2021|website=European Data Protection Board|url=https://edpb.europa.eu/news/national-news/2021/dutch-dpa-tiktok-fined-violating-childrens-privacy_en}}</ref> | |||
=== Project Clover === | |||
TikTok has faced criticism for transfering European user data to servers in the United States. It is holding discussions with UK's [[National Cyber Security Centre (United Kingdom)|National Cyber Security Centre]] about a "Project Clover" for storing European information locally. The company plans to build two data centers in Ireland and one more in Norway. A third party will oversee the cybersecurity policies, data flows, and personnel access independently of TikTok.<ref>{{cite news|title=TikTok Rolls Out 'Project Clover' to Assure Europeans on Data |last=Woo |first=Stu |date= 6 March 2023 |work=The Wall Street Journal |url=https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/tiktok-takes-charm-offensive-to-u-k-in-effort-to-avoid-more-government-bans-77917d68}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=TikTok launches Project Clover to allay China security fears |last=Vallance |first=Christ |date=8 March 2023 |publisher=BBC |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-64887704}}</ref><ref name=Goujard2023>{{cite news|title=What the hell is wrong with TikTok? |last=Goujard |first=Clothilde |date=22 March 2023 |publisher=Politico |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/tiktok-china-west-europe-ban-app-espionage-surveillance/}}</ref> | |||
=== UK Information Commissioner's Office investigation === | |||
In February 2019, the United Kingdom's [[Information Commissioner's Office]] launched an investigation of TikTok following the fine ByteDance received from the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Speaking to a parliamentary committee, Information Commissioner [[Elizabeth Denham]] said that the investigation focuses on the issues of private data collection, the kind of videos collected and shared by children online, as well as the platform's open messaging system which allows any adult to message any child. She noted that the company was potentially violating the [[General Data Protection Regulation]] (GDPR) which requires the company to provide different services and different protections for children.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Hern|first=Alex|date=2 July 2019|title=TikTok under investigation over child data use|work=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/jul/02/tiktok-under-investigation-over-child-data-use|url-status=live|access-date=13 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708081842/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/jul/02/tiktok-under-investigation-over-child-data-use|archive-date=8 July 2020|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> | |||
=== Privacy Commissioner of Canada investigation === | |||
In February 2023, the [[Privacy Commissioner of Canada]], along with its counterparts in Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec, launched an investigation into TikTok's data collection practices.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shakil |first=Ismail |date=23 February 2023 |title=Canadian privacy regulators launch joint investigation into TikTok |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/canadian-privacy-regulators-launch-joint-investigation-into-tiktok-2023-02-23/ |access-date=23 February 2023}}</ref> | |||
=== Texas Attorney General investigation === | |||
In February 2022, the incumbent [[Texas Attorney General]], [[Ken Paxton]], initiated an investigation into TikTok for alleged violations of children's privacy and facilitation of [[human trafficking]].<ref>{{cite web |date=February 23, 2022 |title=Texas Attorney General Investigates TikTok for Potential Child Privacy Violations and Facilitation of Human Trafficking |url=https://www.natlawreview.com/article/texas-attorney-general-investigates-tiktok-potential-child-privacy-violations-and |access-date=2022-03-04 |website=[[The National Law Review]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=AG Paxton Investigates TikTok for Potential Facilitation of Human Trafficking & Child Privacy Violations |url=https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/ag-paxton-investigates-tiktok-potential-facilitation-human-trafficking-child-privacy-violations |access-date=2022-05-31 |website=Texas Attorney General |language=en}}</ref> Paxton claimed that the [[Texas Department of Public Safety]] gathered several pieces of content showing the attempted recruitment of teenagers to smuggle people or goods across the [[Mexico–United States border]]. He claimed the evidence may prove the company's involvement in "human smuggling, sex trafficking and drug trafficking." The company claimed that no illegal activity of any kind is supported on the platform.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Altus |first=Kristen |date=2022-02-18 |title=Texas AG Paxton investigating Chinese app TikTok over human and drug smuggling posts |url=https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/texas-investigating-tiktok-over-human-and-drug-smuggling-posts |access-date=2022-05-31 |website=FOXBusiness |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
=== U.S. COPPA fines === | |||
{{See also|Children's Online Privacy Protection Act}} | |||
On 27 February 2019, the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) fined ByteDance U.S.$5.7 million for collecting information from minors under the age of 13 in violation of the [[Children's Online Privacy Protection Act]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Lieber|first=Chavie|date=28 February 2019|title=TikTok is the latest social media platform accused of abusing children's privacy – now it's paying up|url=https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/2/28/18244996/tiktok-children-privacy-data-ftc-settlement|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831085424/https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2019/2/28/18244996/tiktok-children-privacy-data-ftc-settlement|archive-date=31 August 2019|access-date=1 March 2019|website=Vox}}</ref> ByteDance responded by adding a kids-only mode to TikTok which blocks the upload of videos, the building of user profiles, direct messaging, and commenting on others' videos, while still allowing the viewing and recording of content.<ref>{{cite news|last=Lee|first=Dami|title=TikTok stops young users from uploading videos after FTC settlement|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/27/18243510/tiktok-age-young-user-videos-ftc-settlement-13-childrens-privacy-law|work=The Verge|url-status=live|access-date=27 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190228011906/https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/27/18243510/tiktok-age-young-user-videos-ftc-settlement-13-childrens-privacy-law|archive-date=28 February 2019}}</ref> In May 2020, an advocacy group filed a complaint with the FTC saying that TikTok had violated the terms of the February 2019 [[consent decree]], which sparked subsequent Congressional calls for a renewed FTC investigation.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Bartz|first=Diane|date=14 May 2020|title=Advocacy group says TikTok violated FTC consent decree and children's privacy rules|work=[[Reuters]]|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tiktok-privacy-children-ftc-idUSKBN22Q0E2|url-status=live|access-date=14 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200514165854/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tiktok-privacy-children-ftc-idUSKBN22Q0E2|archive-date=14 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Spangler|first=Todd|date=14 May 2020|title=TikTok Is Still Violating U.S. Child-Privacy Law, Groups Charge|url=https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/tiktok-is-still-violating-u-s-child-privacy-law-groups-charge-1234606854/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527182217/https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/tiktok-is-still-violating-u-s-child-privacy-law-groups-charge-1234606854/|archive-date=27 May 2020|access-date=27 May 2020|website=Variety}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Dan|date=14 May 2020|title=Advocacy Groups Ask FTC to Reinvestigate TikTok Over Alleged COPPA Violations|url=https://www.law.com/corpcounsel/2020/05/14/advocacy-groups-ask-ftc-to-reinvestigate-tiktok-over-alleged-coppa-violations/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604115713/https://www.law.com/corpcounsel/2020/05/14/advocacy-groups-ask-ftc-to-reinvestigate-tiktok-over-alleged-coppa-violations/|archive-date=4 June 2020|access-date=27 May 2020|website=Corporate Counsel}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Miller|first=Maggie|date=28 May 2020|title=Democrats call on FTC to investigate allegations of TikTok child privacy violations|work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]]|url=https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/499970-democrats-call-on-ftc-to-investigate-potential-tiktok-child-privacy|url-status=live|access-date=3 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200603163346/https://thehill.com/policy/cybersecurity/499970-democrats-call-on-ftc-to-investigate-potential-tiktok-child-privacy|archive-date=3 June 2020}}</ref> In July 2020, it was reported that the FTC and the [[United States Department of Justice]] had initiated investigations.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Bartz|first=Diane|date=8 July 2020|title=Exclusive: U.S. probing allegations TikTok violated children's privacy - sources|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tiktok-privacy-children-exclusive-idUSKBN248373|url-status=live|access-date=8 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200708233112/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tiktok-privacy-children-exclusive-idUSKBN248373|archive-date=8 July 2020}}</ref> | |||
== Addiction and mental health concerns == | |||
{{Further |Digital media use and mental health |Social media and suicide}} | |||
There are concerns that some users may find it hard to stop using TikTok.<ref name="scmp">{{cite web|url=https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2146904/i-risked-my-life-please-mobile-app-tik-tok-has-hong-kong|title=Lip syncing, finger dancing – Hong Kong kids go crazy for Tik Tok|date=19 May 2018|website=South China Morning Post|access-date=1 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302090454/https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/community/article/2146904/i-risked-my-life-please-mobile-app-tik-tok-has-hong-kong|archive-date=2 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> In April 2018, an addiction-reduction feature was added to Douyin.<ref name="scmp" /> This encouraged users to take a break every 90 minutes.<ref name="scmp" /> Later in 2018, the feature was rolled out to the TikTok app. TikTok uses some top influencers such as Gabe Erwin, Alan Chikin Chow, James Henry, and Cosette Rinab to encourage viewers to stop using the app and take a break.<ref>{{cite web|title=TikTok influencers are telling people to stop using the app|url=https://www.inputmag.com/features/tiktok-tips-telling-users-log-off-get-outdoors-sleep|last=Stokel-Walker|first=Chris|website=Input|date=20 February 2020 |access-date=27 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224152400/https://www.inputmag.com/features/tiktok-tips-telling-users-log-off-get-outdoors-sleep|archive-date=24 February 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Many were also concerned with the app affecting users' [[attention span]]s due to the short-form nature of the content. This is a concern as many of TikTok's audience are younger children, whose brains are still developing.<ref>{{cite web|last=Su|first=Xiaochen|date=8 May 2020|title=The Trouble With TikTok's Global Rise|url=https://international.thenewslens.com/article/134846|access-date=12 June 2020|website=The News Lens International Edition|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612181540/https://international.thenewslens.com/article/134846|archive-date=12 June 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> TikTok executives and representatives have noted and made aware to advertisers on the platform that users have poor attention spans. With a large amount of video content, nearly 50% of users find it stressful to watch a video longer than a minute and a third of users watch videos at double speed.<ref name="wiredstats"/> TikTok has also received criticism for enabling children to purchase coins which they can send to other users.<ref>{{cite web |date=2 September 2019 |title=Girl, 11, blows mum's £3500 savings lip syncing with influencer on TikTok |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/girl-11-blows-mums-3500-19122959 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421161137/https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/girl-11-blows-mums-3500-19122959 |archive-date=21 April 2021 |access-date=21 April 2021 |website=[[Daily Mirror]]}}</ref> | |||
In February 2022, ''The Wall Street Journal'' reported that "[[Mental health professional|Mental-health professionals]] around the country are growing increasingly concerned about the effects on teen girls of posting sexualized TikTok videos."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/teen-girls-sexy-tiktok-videos-take-a-mental-health-toll-11644016839|title=Teen Girls' Sexy TikTok Videos Take a Mental-Health Toll|date=5 February 2022|first=Julie|last=Jargon|access-date=6 February 2022|website=[[The Wall Street Journal]]}}</ref> In March 2022, a coalition of U.S. state attorneys general launched an investigation into TikTok's effect on children's mental health.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McKinnon |first=John D. |date=2022-03-02 |title=TikTok Faces Scrutiny in State Attorneys General Probe of Online Harms to Children |language=en-US |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-faces-scrutiny-in-state-attorneys-general-probe-of-online-harms-to-children-11646251698 |access-date=2022-03-04 |issn=0099-9660}}</ref> In June 2022, TikTok introduced the ability to set a maximum uninterrupted screen time allowance, after which the app blocks off the ability to navigate the feed. The block only lifts after the app is exited and left unused for a set period of time. Additionally, the app features a dashboard with statistics on how often the app is opened, how much time is spent browsing it and when the browsing occurs.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hern |first1=Alex |title=TikTok addicts to benefit from in-app screen-time controls |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/jun/09/tiktok-addicts-to-benefit-from-in-app-screen-time-controls |work=The Guardian |date=9 June 2022 |access-date=10 June 2022}}</ref> | |||
Since 2021, it has been reported that accounts engaging with contents related to suicide, self-harm, or eating disorder were fed more of similar videos. Some users were able to circumvent TikTok filters by writing in code or using unconventional spelling. The company has faced multiple lawsuits pertaining to wrongful deaths. TikTok said it is working to break up these "rabbit holes" of similar recommendations. US searches for eating disorder receive a prompt that offers mental health resources.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Carville |first=Olivia |date=2023-04-20 |title=TikTok's Algorithm Keeps Pushing Suicide to Vulnerable Kids |language=en |work=[[Bloomberg Businessweek]] |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-04-20/tiktok-effects-on-mental-health-in-focus-after-teen-suicide |access-date=2023-05-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Klepper |first1=David |title=TikTok promotes posts about eating disorders and suicide, report shows |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/9350094/tiktok-eating-disorders-suicide-report/ |website=Global News |publisher=The Associated Press |access-date=16 June 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Roth |first1=Emma |title=WSJ's deep dive into eating disorder rabbit holes on TikTok explains a sudden policy change |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/18/22843606/tiktok-wsj-algorithm-change-eating-disorder |website=The Verge |date=18 December 2021 |access-date=16 June 2023}}</ref> | |||
In 2021, the platform revealed that it will be introducing a feature that will prevent teenagers from receiving notifications past their bedtime. The company will no longer send push notifications after 9 PM to users aged between 13 and 15. For 16 to 17 year olds, notifications will not be sent after 10 PM.<ref>{{cite web|date=2021-08-12|title=TikTok acts on teen safety with 'bedtime' block on app alerts|url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/aug/12/tiktok-acts-on-teen-safety-with-bedtime-block-on-app-alerts|access-date=2021-08-16|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref> In March 2023, TikTok announced default screen time limits for users under the age of 18. Those under the age of 13 would need a passcode from their parents to extend their time.<ref name="limit13">{{cite web |last=Cormac |first=Keenan |date=2023-03-01 |title=New features for teens and families on TikTok |url=https://newsroom.tiktok.com/en-us/new-features-for-teens-and-families-on-tiktok-us |publisher=TikTok}}</ref> | |||
''The Wall Street Journal'' has reported that doctors experienced a surge in reported cases of [[tics]], tied to an increasing number of TikTok videos from content creators with [[Tourette syndrome]]. Doctors suggested that the cause may be a social one as users who consumed content showcasing various tics would sometimes develop tics of their own,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/teen-girls-are-developing-tics-doctors-say-tiktok-could-be-a-factor-11634389201 |title= Teen Girls Are Developing Tics. Doctors Say TikTok Could Be a Factor. |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |last=Jargon |first=Julie |date=19 October 2021|access-date=15 November 2021}}</ref> akin to [[mass psychogenic illness]].<ref name="Olvera Stebbins Goetz Kompoliti 2021 pp. 1200–1205">{{cite journal | last1=Olvera | first1=Caroline | last2=Stebbins | first2=Glenn T. | last3=Goetz | first3=Christopher G. | last4=Kompoliti | first4=Katie | title=<scp>TikTok</scp> Tics: A Pandemic Within a Pandemic | journal=Movement Disorders Clinical Practice | publisher=Wiley | volume=8 | issue=8 | date=2021-08-09 | issn=2330-1619 | doi=10.1002/mdc3.13316 | pages=1200–1205| pmid=34765687 | pmc=8564823 }}</ref><ref name="Müller-Vahl Pisarenko Jakubovski Fremer 2021 pp. 476–480">{{cite journal | last1=Müller-Vahl | first1=Kirsten R | last2=Pisarenko | first2=Anna | last3=Jakubovski | first3=Ewgeni | last4=Fremer | first4=Carolin | title=Stop that! It's not Tourette's but a new type of mass sociogenic illness | journal=Brain | publisher=Oxford University Press (OUP) | volume=145 | issue=2 | date=2021-08-23 | issn=0006-8950 | doi=10.1093/brain/awab316 | pages=476–480| pmid=34424292 | pmc=9014744 }}</ref> | |||
== Workplace conditions == | |||
{{also|Overwork}} | |||
Several former employees of the company have claimed of poor workplace conditions, including the start of the workweek on Sunday to cooperate with [[UTC+08:00|Chinese timezones]] and excessive workload. Employees claimed they averaged 85 hours of meetings per week and would frequently [[Sleep deprivation|stay up all night]] in order to complete tasks. Some employees claimed the workplace's schedule operated similarly to the [[996 working hour system|996 schedule]]. The company has a stated policy of working from 10 AM to 7 PM five days per week (63 hours per week), but employees noted that it was encouraged for employees to work after hours. One female worker complained that the company did not allow her adequate time to change her [[Menstrual hygiene management|feminine hygiene product]] because of back-to-back meetings. Another employee noted that working at the company caused her to seek [[Family therapy|marriage therapy]] and lose an unhealthy amount of weight.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-10 |title=TikTok staff speak out about toxic work culture and 'relentless productivity' |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/tik-tok-staff-work-culture-toxic-b2075452.html |access-date=2022-05-31 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref> In response to the allegations, the company noted that they were committed to allowing employees "support and flexibility".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Former Employees Say Working at TikTok Takes a Toll |url=https://www.wsj.com/story/former-employees-say-working-at-tiktok-takes-a-toll-d21a4960 |access-date=2022-05-31 |website=WSJ}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bienasz |first=Gabrielle |title=A TikTok worker reportedly said the social media giant's culture is so intense she bled through her pants rather than asking to briefly leave a meeting |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/wsj-tiktok-employees-face-enormous-stress-on-job-2022-5 |access-date=2022-05-31 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
== Bans and attempted bans == | |||
{{Main article|Censorship of TikTok}} | |||
[[File:Censorship of Tik Tok.svg|thumb|290px|{{legend|#0000ffff|Countries that banned TikTok on governmental devices}} {{legend|#ffff00ff|Countries that made temporary bans in the past}}{{legend|#ff0000ff|Countries where TikTok is banned}}{{legend|#ff6600ff|Countries that banned TikTok and made their own version}}]] | |||
===Asia=== | |||
{{As of|January 2023}}, TikTok is reportedly banned in several [[Asia]]n countries including [[Afghanistan]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Taliban Ban TikTok App for 'Misleading the Younger Generation' |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-04-21/taliban-bans-tiktok-app-for-misleading-the-younger-generation |access-date=21 April 2022 |work=Bloomberg.com |date=21 April 2022 |language=en}}</ref> [[Armenia]], [[Azerbaijan]], [[Bangladesh]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-16 |title=High Court to govt: Ban TikTok, PUBG, Free Fire, other dangerous apps |url=https://archive.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/court/2021/08/16/high-court-stop-dangerous-online-games-including-pubg-free-fire-in-bangladesh |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=Dhaka Tribune}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Desk |first=Toggle |date=2022-04-24 |title=TikTok removes more than 2.6 million videos from Bangladesh |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/tech-startup/news/tiktok-removes-more-26-million-videos-bangladesh-3011461 |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=The Daily Star |language=en}}</ref> [[India]],<ref>{{cite web|last=Dhapola|first=Shruti|date=2020-12-24|title=Year of the Banned: TikTok to PUBG Mobile, all the apps that stopped working in India in 2020|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/year-of-the-banned-tiktok-to-pubg-mobile-all-the-apps-that-stopped-working-in-india-in-2020-7118174/|access-date=2021-10-27|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{cite web|date=2 September 2020|title=In Third Blocking Order, India Bans 118 New Chinese-Linked Apps|url=https://thewire.in/tech/pubg-banned-chinese-apps-blocking-order-tension-pangong-tso|access-date=2021-10-27|website=The Wire}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Michelle|last=Toh|title=TikTok is laying off employees in India as ban becomes permanent|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/27/tech/tiktok-india-chinese-apps-intl-hnk/index.html|access-date=2021-02-11|website=CNN|date=27 January 2021|archive-date=11 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211155331/https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/27/tech/tiktok-india-chinese-apps-intl-hnk/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Iran]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tejaratnews.com/startup/%D8%AA%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D8%AA%D8%A7%DA%A9-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86 |title=تیک تاک کاربران ایرانی را مسدود میکند؟ |website=tejaratnews.com |access-date=9 May 2022}}</ref> [[Pakistan]],<ref name=":17">{{Cite news |last=Masood |first=Salman |date=2020-10-11 |title=Pakistan Bans TikTok, Citing Morals. Others Cite Politics. |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/11/technology/tiktok-pakistan-ban.html |access-date=2020-11-23 |issn=0362-4331|archive-date=3 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103172309/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/11/technology/tiktok-pakistan-ban.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Syria]]. The app was previously banned temporarily in [[Indonesia]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/indonesia-overturns-ban-on-chinese-video-app-tik-tok|title=Indonesia overturns ban on Chinese video app Tik Tok|agency=Reuters|date=11 July 2018|website=The Straits Times|access-date=1 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302024824/https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/indonesia-overturns-ban-on-chinese-video-app-tik-tok|archive-date=2 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Jordan (country)|Jordan]],<ref>{{cite news|title=TikTok users in Jordan say platform is 'back to normal'|url=https://www.jordannews.jo/Section-109/News/TikTok-users-in-Jordan-say-platform-is-back-to-normal-26020|work=Jordan News|date=23 December 2022}}</ref> though both have been lifted since. | |||
With reports that Palestinians resorted to TikTok for promoting their cause after platforms like Facebook and [[Twitter]] blocked their content,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Entsar Abu Jahal |date=June 1, 2021 |title=TikTok becomes vital weapon in Palestinians' digital war |url=https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2021/06/tiktok-becomes-vital-weapon-palestinians-digital-war |website=[[Al-Monitor]] |language=en}}</ref> Israeli analyst [[Yoni Ben-Menachem]] told ''[[Arab News]]'' in 2022 that the Chinese app was a "tool of dangerous influence" inciting violence through videos glorifying attacks against Israelis.<ref>{{Cite web |last=MOHAMMED NAJIB |date=2022-10-02 |title=Palestinian activists turn to TikTok amid Israeli anger over 'propaganda videos' |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/2173851/middle-east |website=[[Arab News]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=M Nur Pakar |date=3 October 2022 |title=Israel Tuduh TikTok dari China Sebagai Media Sosial Menghasut dan Berbahaya |url=https://aceh.tribunnews.com/2022/10/03/israel-tuduh-tiktok-dari-china-sebagai-media-sosial-menghasut-dan-berbahaya |website=[[Tribun News]] |language=id-ID}}</ref> The Palestinian militant group [[Lions' Den (militant group)|Lion's Den]] gained much of their popularity through TikTok, according to [[Ynet]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kimon |first=Elisha Ben |date=2022-10-26 |title=The TikTok generation of Palestinian resistance |language=en |work=[[Ynetnews]] |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/article/s1benyleo |access-date=2023-03-17}}</ref> In February 2023, [[Otzma Yehudit]] politician [[Almog Cohen (politician)|Almog Cohen]] advocated blocking TikTok for all of [[East Jerusalem]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bachner |first=Michael |date=16 February 2023 |title=Coalition MK calls Palestinians 'Palestinazis,' urges TikTok ban in East Jerusalem |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/coalition-mk-calls-palestinians-palestinazis-urges-tiktok-ban-in-east-jerusalem/ |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=[[The Times of Israel]] |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
=== Canada === | |||
In February 2023, the Canadian government banned TikTok from all government-issued mobile devices.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gillies |first=Rob |date=27 February 2023 |title=TikTok banned on all Canadian government mobile devices |work=[[Associated Press]] |url=https://apnews.com/article/politics-mobile-apps-canada-government-united-states-justin-trudeau-43b27a80a1c2bf3b55e5ccf2ce573684 |access-date=27 February 2023}}</ref> | |||
=== Europe === | |||
In February 2023, the [[European Commission]] and [[European Council]] banned TikTok from official devices.<ref>{{Cite news |date=23 February 2023 |title=European Commission bans TikTok from official devices |work=[[CNN]] |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/23/tech/tiktok-ban-european-commission |access-date=23 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Chee |first=Foo Yun |date=2023-02-23 |title=Top EU bodies, citing security, ban TikTok on staff phones |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/eu-commission-staff-told-remove-tiktok-phones-eu-industry-chief-says-2023-02-23/ |access-date=2023-02-23}}</ref> | |||
==== Belgium ==== | |||
In March 2023, Belgium banned TikTok from all federal government work devices over cybersecurity, privacy, and misinformation concerns.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-10 |title=Belgium bans TikTok from government phones after US, EU |url=https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-belgium-china-cybersecurity-b976fe2a56c58996e84c1040ddd7f1ad |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=[[Associated Press]] |language=en}}</ref> | |||
==== Denmark ==== | |||
In March 2023, Denmark's [[Ministry of Defence (Denmark)|Ministry of Defence]] banned TikTok on work devices.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-03-06 |title=Danish defense ministry bans TikTok on employee work phones |url=https://apnews.com/article/denmark-tiktok-ban-defense-ministry-c3f434fa46401ea93329e1f5cb132432 |access-date=2023-03-06 |website=[[Associated Press]] |language=en}}</ref> | |||
==== France ==== | |||
In July 2023, members of the [[French parliament]] recommended a general ban of TikTok unless it were to "come clean". Concerns ranged from the company's ownership structure, the effectiveness of the app's content moderation and age limits. Government officials also blamed TikTok and other social media platforms for the [[Nahel Merzouk riots|riots]] that ensued after the police shooting of Nahel Merzouk. The recommendation was non-binding.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-07-06 |title=French MPs urge TikTok ban ultimatum |agency=Agence France-Presse |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/french-mps-urge-tiktok-ban-ultimatum/articleshow/101551656.cms}}</ref> | |||
==== United Kingdom ==== | |||
In March 2023, the UK government announced that TikTok would be banned on work devices used by ministers and other employees, amid security concerns relating to the app's handling of user data. Downing Street and the Ministry of Defence can continue to use the app under some exempting circumstances.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Geiger |first1=Chas |last2=Kleinman |first2=Zoe |date=17 March 2023 |title=TikTok to be banned on UK government phones |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-64975672 |accessdate=16 March 2023 |work=[[BBC News]]}}</ref> The same month, the BBC told all employees to delete TikTok off their devices unless the app was being used for work purposes. The network is also reportedly considering a ban on the app.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kanter |first1=Jake |date=20 March 2023 |title=BBC Considers TikTok Ban As Staff Told To Delete App Unless They Are Using It For Work Purposes |url=https://deadline.com/2023/03/bbc-considers-tiktok-ban-as-staff-told-to-delete-app-1235304073/ |access-date=20 March 2023 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]] |publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation]]}}</ref> | |||
===United States=== | |||
{{main article|Restrictions on TikTok in the United States}} | |||
In January 2020, the United States Army and Navy banned TikTok on government devices after the [[United States Department of Defense|Defense Department]] labeled it a security risk. Before the policy change, army recruiters had been using the platform to attract young people. Unofficial promotional videos continue to be posted on TikTok under personal accounts, drawing the ire of government officials, but they have also helped boost the number of enlistees; several accounts have millions of views and followers.<ref>{{cite news|last=Howe|first=Elizabeth|title=Army Recruiters on TikTok Dance Around Ban To Reach Gen Z|date=16 November 2021|publisher=Defense One|url=https://www.defenseone.com/policy/2021/11/army-recruiters-tiktok-dance-around-ban-reach-gen-z/186881/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Kelly|first=Makena|title=The Army is in hot water over TikTok recruiting activity|date=14 December 2021|publisher=The Verge|url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/12/14/22834405/tiktok-army-marco-rubio-ban-report-government-personal-devices}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Sung|first=Morgan|title=TikTok-famous 'Island Boys' promote Army recruitment in Cameo|date=25 January 2022|publisher=NBC News|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/viral/tiktok-famous-island-boys-promote-army-recruitment-cameo-rcna13347}}</ref> | |||
According to a 2020 article in ''The New York Times'', CIA analysts determined that while it is possible the Chinese government could obtain user information from the app, there was no evidence it had done so.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Canales |first1=Katie |title=CIA analysts reportedly told the White House there's 'no evidence' the Chinese government has accessed TikTok data |url=https://news.yahoo.com/cia-analysts-reportedly-told-white-222727936.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809135630/https://news.yahoo.com/cia-analysts-reportedly-told-white-222727936.html |archive-date=9 August 2020 |accessdate=9 August 2020 |website=news.yahoo.com|date=7 August 2020 }}</ref> Several independent cybersecurity experts have also concluded that there is no determinable evidence that user information was being or had been obtained by the Chinese government, although they note that the amount of data that the app collects is of comparable volume to other social media apps, including U.S.-based platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.<ref>{{cite web |first=Geoffrey A. |last=Fowler |date=13 July 2020 |title=Is it time to delete TikTok? A guide to the rumors and the real privacy risks. |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2020/07/13/tiktok-privacy/ |accessdate=14 September 2020 |publisher=Nash Holdings LLC |newspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Kaitlyn |last=Wylde |date=16 July 2020 |title=Cybersecurity Experts Explain Why You Don't Need To Delete TikTok Off Your Phone |url=https://www.bustle.com/life/is-tiktok-safe-to-download-cybersecurity-experts-explain |accessdate=14 September 2020 |website=[[Bustle (magazine)|Bustle]] |publisher=Bustle Digital Group}}</ref> | |||
On 6 August 2020, then U.S. President [[Donald Trump]] signed an order<ref>{{cite web|title=Executive Order on Addressing the Threat Posed by TikTok|url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-addressing-threat-posed-tiktok/|access-date=2020-12-08|via=[[NARA|National Archives]]|work=[[whitehouse.gov]]|archive-date=3 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210303003031/https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-addressing-threat-posed-tiktok/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=2020-08-11|title=Addressing the Threat Posed by TikTok, and Taking Additional Steps To Address the National Emergency With Respect to the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain|url=https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/08/11/2020-17699/addressing-the-threat-posed-by-tiktok-and-taking-additional-steps-to-address-the-national-emergency|access-date=2020-12-08|website=Federal Register|archive-date=9 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201209064214/https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/08/11/2020-17699/addressing-the-threat-posed-by-tiktok-and-taking-additional-steps-to-address-the-national-emergency|url-status=live}}</ref> which would ban TikTok transactions in 45 days if it was not sold by ByteDance. Trump also signed a similar order against the [[WeChat]] application owned by the Chinese multinational company [[Tencent]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Carvajal |first=Nikki |title=Trump issues executive order banning TikTok from operating in 45 days if it's not sold by Chinese parent company |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/06/politics/trump-executive-order-tiktok/index.html |access-date=7 August 2020 |website=CNN |archive-date=10 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810020022/https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/06/politics/trump-executive-order-tiktok/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":11">{{cite news|last=Arbel|first=Tali|date=6 August 2020|title=Trump bans dealings with Chinese owners of TikTok, WeChat|work=Associated Press|url=https://apnews.com/719d8c83f689929c9c9d8c9aa5593fc8|url-status=live|access-date=6 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807071140/https://apnews.com/719d8c83f689929c9c9d8c9aa5593fc8|archive-date=7 August 2020}}</ref> | |||
On 14 August 2020, Trump issued another order<ref>{{cite web|title=Order Regarding the Acquisition of Musical.ly by ByteDance Ltd|url=https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/order-regarding-acquisition-musical-ly-bytedance-ltd/|access-date=2020-12-08|via=[[NARA|National Archives]]|work=[[whitehouse.gov]]|archive-date=20 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120202126/https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/presidential-actions/order-regarding-acquisition-musical-ly-bytedance-ltd/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=govinfo|url=https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/DCPD-202000608/|access-date=2020-12-08|website=www.govinfo.gov|archive-date=3 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210103172732/https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/DCPD-202000608/|url-status=live}}</ref> giving ByteDance 90 days to sell or spin off its U.S. TikTok business.<ref>{{cite web|last=Davis|first=Wendy|date=17 October 2020|title=White House Presses To Move Forward With TikTok Ban|url=https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/356940/white-house-presses-to-move-forward-with-tiktok-ba.html|access-date=21 October 2020|archive-date=1 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101122600/https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/356940/white-house-presses-to-move-forward-with-tiktok-ba.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In the order, Trump said that there is "credible evidence" that leads him to believe that ByteDance "might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States."<ref>{{cite web |last1= Trump |first1= Donald J. | title= Order Regarding the acquisition of musical. Ly by Bytedance Ltd. |url= https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/EO-on-TikTok-8-14-20.pdf|access-date=14 August 2020 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200815193531/https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/EO-on-TikTok-8-14-20.pdf | archive-date=15 August 2020}}</ref> Donald Trump was concerned about TikTok being a threat because TikTok's parent company was rumored to be taking United States user data and reporting it back to Chinese operations through the company ByteDance.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Ryan|first1=Fergus|last2=Fritz|first2=Audrey|last3=Impiombato|first3=Daria|date=2020|title=TikTok privacy concerns and data collection|journal=Tiktok and Wechat|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/resrep26120.7|pages=36–42}}</ref> | |||
In June 2021, new president [[Joe Biden]] signed an executive order revoking the Trump administration ban on TikTok, and instead ordered the [[Secretary of Commerce]] to investigate the app to determine if it poses a threat to U.S. national security.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Kelly |first1=Makena |title=Biden revokes Trump bans on TikTok and WeChat |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/9/22525953/biden-tiktok-wechat-trump-bans-revoked-alipay |access-date=9 June 2021 |work=The Verge |date=9 June 2021}}</ref> | |||
In June 2022, [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]] Commissioner [[Brendan Carr (lawyer)|Brendan Carr]] called for Google and Apple to remove TikTok from their app stores, citing national security concerns, saying TikTok "harvests swaths of sensitive data that new reports show are being accessed in Beijing."<ref>{{Cite web |first=Brian |last=Fung |title=FCC commissioner calls on Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/29/tech/fcc-google-apple-tiktok-block/index.html |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=CNN|date=29 June 2022 }}</ref><ref name=":42">{{Cite web |title=FCC Commissioner urges Google and Apple to ban TikTok |url=https://www.engadget.com/fcc-commissioner-google-facebook-ban-tik-tok-064559992.html |access-date=2022-06-29 |website=Engadget |language=en-US}}</ref> | |||
In September 2022, during a testimony to the [[Senate Homeland Security Committee]], TikTok's COO would not commit to stopping "all data and metadata flows" to China. The COO reacted to concerns of the company's handling of user data by stating that TikTok does not operate in China, though the company does have an office there.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Fung |first1=Brian |title=TikTok won't commit to stopping US data flows to China |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/14/tech/tiktok-china-data/index.html |website=CNN Business |publisher=CNN |date=14 September 2022 |access-date=15 September 2022}}</ref> | |||
In November 2022, [[Christopher A. Wray]], director of the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]], told U.S. lawmakers that "the Chinese government could use [TikTok] to control data collection on millions of users or control the recommendation algorithm, which could be used for [[influence operations]]."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Shepardson |first=David |date=2022-11-15 |title=U.S. FBI director says TikTok poses national security concerns |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/us-fbi-director-says-tiktok-poses-national-security-concerns-2022-11-15/ |access-date=2022-11-15}}</ref> | |||
In December 2022, Senator [[Marco Rubio]] and representatives [[Mike Gallagher (American politician)|Mike Gallagher]] and [[Raja Krishnamoorthi]] introduced the ''Averting the National Threat of Internet Surveillance, Oppressive Censorship and Influence, and Algorithmic Learning by the Chinese Communist Party Act'' (ANTI-SOCIAL CCP Act), which would prohibit Chinese- and Russian-owned social networks from doing business in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Feiner |first=Lauren |title=Lawmakers unveil bipartisan bill that aims to ban TikTok in the U.S. |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/13/lawmakers-unveil-bipartisan-bill-that-aims-to-ban-tiktok-in-the-us.html |access-date=2022-12-13 |website=CNBC |date=13 December 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Oshin |first=Olafimihan |date=2022-12-13 |title=Lawmakers introduce bill to ban TikTok in US |url=https://thehill.com/policy/technology/3773695-lawmakers-introduce-bill-to-ban-tiktok-in-us/ |access-date=2022-12-13 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}</ref> That month, Senator [[Josh Hawley]] also introduced a separate measure, the [[No TikTok on Government Devices Act]], to ban federal employees from using TikTok on all government devices.<ref name="TN">{{cite news|title=Tennessee to ban Tiktok on government networks|url=https://www.local3news.com/local-news/tennessee-to-ban-tiktok-on-government-networks/article_df37aaca-79a1-11ed-8389-a762563a56c5.html|work=Local 3 News|date=11 December 2022}}</ref> On December 15, Hawley's measure was unanimously passed by the [[U.S. Senate]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Watson|first=Kathyrn|title=Senate approves measure to ban TikTok from government devices|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-tiktok-ban-us-government-devices/|work=CBS News|date=15 December 2022}}</ref> On December 27, the [[Chief Administrative Officer of the United States House of Representatives]] banned TikTok from all devices managed by the House of Representatives.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Warburton |first=Moira |date=2022-12-27 |title=U.S. House administration arm bans TikTok on official devices |language=en |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/us-house-administration-arm-bans-tiktok-official-devices-2022-12-27/ |access-date=2022-12-28}}</ref> | |||
As of February 2023,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Maheshwari |first=Sapna |date=2023-01-15 |title=Auburn Banned TikTok, and Students Can't Stop Talking About It |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/15/business/auburn-tiktok-ban-students.html |access-date=2023-01-15 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-12 |title=EXPLAINER: List of states banning TikTok grows |url=https://apnews.com/article/technology-politics-united-states-government-china-privacy-26b0ee0d4c8421fa7f58b06f76651dc1 |access-date=2023-01-15 |website=AP NEWS |language=en}}</ref> at least 32 (of 50) states have announced or enacted bans on state government agencies, employees, and contractors using TikTok on government-issued devices. State bans only affect government employees and do not prohibit civilians from having or using the app on their personal devices. | |||
In March 2023, ''[[Politico]]'' reported that TikTok hired [[SKDK]] to lobby amid a possible federal ban.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lippman |first=Daniel |date=9 March 2023 |title=TikTok hires Biden-connected firm as it finds itself under D.C.'s microscope |work=[[Politico]] |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/09/tiktok-biden-firm-dc-skdk-00086408 |access-date=11 March 2023}}</ref> This preceded TikTok's CEO appearance before Congress to address the concerns surrounding the app. He stated that TikTok's data collection practices did not differ from those of other US social media platforms.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Thorbecke |first1=Catherine |title=TikTok CEO in the hot seat: 5 takeaways from his first appearance before Congress |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/03/23/tech/tiktok-ceo-hearing/index.html |website=CNN Business |date=23 March 2023 |access-date=23 March 2023}}</ref> A researcher at the Citizen Lab believes that governments around the world should better protect user information in general from being exploited by [[Big Tech]], not focus exclusively on one app.<ref name=Fung>{{cite news |last=Fung |first=Brian |title=Lawmakers say TikTok is a national security threat, but evidence remains unclear |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/21/tech/tiktok-national-security-concerns/index.html |date=21 March 2023}}</ref> | |||
[[Montana]] became the first state to pass legislation banning TikTok on all personal devices from operating within state lines and barring app stores from offering TikTok for downloads.<ref name=mtt>{{cite web |last1=Fung|first1=Brian|title=Montana lawmakers vote to completely ban TikTok in the state |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/14/tech/montana-house-tiktok-ban/index.html|website=CNN Business |date=14 April 2023 |access-date=14 April 2023}}</ref><ref name=mtnyt>{{cite web |last1=McCabe|first1=David|title=Montana Legislature Approves Outright Ban of TikTok|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/14/technology/montana-tiktok-ban-passed.html|website=The New York Times|date=14 April 2023 |access-date=14 April 2023}}</ref><ref name=mtbg>{{cite web |last1=Michels|first1=Holly|title=Montana Legislature passes TikTok ban|url=https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/montana-legislature-passes-tiktok-ban/article_af21804c-52d9-52ea-b5fc-748a0bcbd239.html|website=Billings Gazette|date=14 April 2023 |access-date=14 April 2023}}</ref> State governor [[Greg Gianforte]] signed the bill in May 2023 with the law going into effect in January 2024.<ref name=mtt/><ref name=mtnyt/><ref>[https://www.politico.com/news/2023/05/17/montana-governor-signs-bill-banning-tiktok-00097540 Montana bans TikTok for all residents] [[Politico]]</ref> TikTok is paying the attorney fees for a lawsuit from Montana content creators who had expressed concerns about the legislation. The company is filing a separate case on its own behalf to overturn the ban.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Maheshwari |first=Sapna |date=2023-06-27 |title=After Montana Banned TikTok, Users Sued. TikTok Is Footing Their Bill. |language=en-US |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/27/business/media/tiktok-ban-montana-lawsuit-funding.html |access-date=2023-06-29 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> | |||
==== Commentary ==== | |||
Security officials have few details to offer about the move against TikTok.<ref name=Goujard2023 /> | |||
Attempts to ban TikTok by the United States have been regarded as hypocritical and politically motivated. The U.S. is headquarters to major global Internet companies, and its intelligence agencies such as the [[National Security Agency#Constitutionality, legality and privacy questions regarding operations|NSA]] can broadly interpret Section 702 of the [[Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act]] (FISA) to search user communications even without a warrant. Non-US persons are more easily targeted, numbering 232,432 in 2021, but US citizens' communications can also be caught up.<ref name=aj20230328 /> | |||
The types of data collected by TikTok are also collected by other social media platforms and available for purchase through brokers, often without oversight, by both private and state entities.<ref name=aj20230328>{{Cite web |last=Hale |first=Erin |title=US says China can spy with TikTok. It spies on world with Google |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2023/3/28/bid-to-ban-tiktok-raises-hypocrisy-charge-amid-global-spying |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=www.aljazeera.com |language=en}}</ref> A researcher at [[Georgia Tech]]’s Internet Governance Project raised the question of whether protectionism of U.S. corporations, rather than privacy concerns, is the primary motivation of the US government. An analyst at the [[Center for Strategic and International Studies]] writes that it would make more sense to focus on the protection of data directly rather than on any particular platform.<ref name=csischin>{{Cite news |last=Chin |first=Caitlin |title=U.S. Digital Privacy Troubles Do Not Start or End with TikTok |date=6 October 2022 |url=https://www.csis.org/analysis/us-digital-privacy-troubles-do-not-start-or-end-tiktok}}</ref> | |||
==== Project Texas ==== | |||
Following Trump administration's attempt to ban the platform, TikTok has been working to silo privileged user data within the United States under oversight from the US government or a third party such as Oracle.<ref name=Fung /> Named Project Texas, the initiative focuses on unauthorized access, state influence, and software security. A new subsidiary, TikTok U.S. Data Security Inc. (USDS), was created to manage user data, software code, back-end systems, and content moderation. It would report to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), not ByteDance or TikTok, even for hiring practices. Oracle would review and spot check the data flows through USDS. It would also digitally sign software code, approve updates, and oversee content moderation and recommendation. Physical locations would be established so that Oracle and the US government could conduct their own reviews.<ref name=lawfare>{{Cite web |last1=Perault |first1=Matt |last2=Sacks |first2=Samm |title=Project Texas: The Details of TikTok's Plan to Remain Operational in the United States |date=2023-01-26 |url=https://www.lawfareblog.com/project-texas-details-tiktoks-plan-remain-operational-united-states |website=Lawfare}}</ref> The company has been engaged in confidential negotiations over the project with CFIUS since 2021 and submitted its proposal but received little response from the panel afterward.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Kang |first1=Cecilia |last2=Maheshwari |first2=Sapna |last3=McCabe |first3=David |title=TikTok's New Defense in Washington: Going on the Offense |date=2023-01-26 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/26/technology/tiktok-bytedance-data-security.html |work=The New York Times}}</ref> | |||
In March 2023, a former employee of the company said Project Texas did not go far enough and that a complete "re-engineering" would be needed. TikTok responded by saying that Project Texas already is a re-engineering of the app and that the former employee left in 2022 before the project specifications were finalized.<ref name="gizmodo.com">{{cite web |last1=DeGeurin |first1=Mack |title=TikTok Whistleblower Tells Congress Data Protections Don't Stop Chinese Access |url=https://gizmodo.com/tiktok-whistleblower-congress-china-user-data-ban-1850213984 |website=Gizmodo |date=11 March 2023 |access-date=11 March 2023}}</ref> | |||
===Oceania=== | |||
By 7 March 2023, 68 Australian federal agencies had banned TikTok on work-related mobile devices. [[Liberal Party of Australia|Liberal Party]] Senator [[James Paterson (Australian politician)|James Paterson]] called for a federal ban on all government-related devices.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Canales |first1=Sarah |title=TikTok banned at nearly 70 federal government agencies as 'patchwork approach' raises concern |url=https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8106002/tiktok-banned-at-half-of-federal-government-agencies-as-patchwork-approach-raises-concern/ |access-date=18 March 2023 |work=[[The Canberra Times]] |date=7 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314085547/https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8106002/tiktok-banned-at-half-of-federal-government-agencies-as-patchwork-approach-raises-concern/ |archive-date=14 March 2023|url-status=live}}</ref> In April, West Australian Premier Mark McGowan banned TikTok from government phones.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hastie |first1=Hamish |title=McGowan can't explain TikTok security concerns but will ban app from gov phones anyway |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/western-australia/mcgowan-can-t-explain-tiktok-security-concerns-but-will-ban-app-from-gov-phones-anyway-20230404-p5cy07.html |access-date=5 April 2023 |work=[[The Age]] |date=4 April 2023}}</ref> | |||
On 17 March 2023, the [[New Zealand Parliamentary Service]] banned TikTok on devices connected to Parliament, citing cybersecurity concerns.<ref>{{cite news|title=New Zealand to ban TikTok on devices linked to parliament, cites security concerns|url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/new-zealand-ban-tiktok-devices-linked-parliament-2023-03-17|work=[[Reuters]]|date=16 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Parliamentary Service bans TikTok on its devices |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/486167/parliamentary-service-bans-tiktok-on-its-devices |access-date=18 March 2023 |work=[[Radio New Zealand]] |date=17 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230318100249/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/486167/parliamentary-service-bans-tiktok-on-its-devices |archive-date=18 March 2023|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
== Other legal issues == | |||
Some countries have shown concerns regarding the content on TikTok, as their cultures view it as obscene, immoral, vulgar, and encouraging [[pornography]]. There have been temporary blocks and warnings issued by countries including Indonesia,<ref name="2018-07-05-dw">{{cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/indonesia-blocks-pornographic-tik-tok-app/a-44537230|title=Indonesia blocks 'pornographic' Tik Tok app |date =7 May 2018|website=DW.COM|access-date=1 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302090524/https://www.dw.com/en/indonesia-blocks-pornographic-tik-tok-app/a-44537230|archive-date=2 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Bangladesh,<ref name="2019-02-25-dw">{{cite web|url=https://www.dw.com/en/bangladesh-anti-porn-war-bans-blogs-and-google-books/a-47684058|title=Bangladesh 'anti-porn war' bans blogs and Google books|date= 25 February 2019 |website=DW.COM|access-date=1 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190302024928/https://www.dw.com/en/bangladesh-anti-porn-war-bans-blogs-and-google-books/a-47684058|archive-date=2 March 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> India,<ref name=":9">{{cite web|title='It Encourages Pornography': Madras High Court Asks Government to Ban Video App TikTok|date=4 April 2019|url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/it-encourages-pornography-madras-high-court-asks-government-to-ban-video-app-tiktok-2088337.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404062759/https://www.news18.com/news/india/it-encourages-pornography-madras-high-court-asks-government-to-ban-video-app-tiktok-2088337.html|archive-date=4 April 2019|access-date=4 April 2019|publisher=[[News18]]}}</ref> and Pakistan<ref>{{cite web|date=21 July 2020|title=Pakistan warns TikTok over 'obscene, immoral' content|url=https://nation.com.pk/21-Jul-2020/pakistan-warns-tiktok-over-obscene-immoral-content|access-date=23 July 2020|website=The Nation|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723095832/https://nation.com.pk/21-Jul-2020/pakistan-warns-tiktok-over-obscene-immoral-content|archive-date=23 July 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Pakistan puts TikTok on 'final notice' over 'obscenity' concerns|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2020/07/200721153748436.html|access-date=23 July 2020|website=www.aljazeera.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200722141949/https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2020/07/200721153748436.html|archive-date=22 July 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> over the content concerns. In 2018, Douyin was reprimanded by Chinese media watchdogs for showing "unacceptable" content.<ref name="2018-12-19-tc">{{cite web|url=http://social.techcrunch.com/2018/12/19/tiktok-parent-bytedance-sues-chinese-news-site-that-exposed-fake-news-problem/|title=TikTok parent ByteDance sues Chinese news site that exposed fake news problem|date=20 December 2018 |publisher=[[TechCrunch]]|access-date=1 March 2019|archive-date=22 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822023655/https://techcrunch.com/2018/12/19/tiktok-parent-bytedance-sues-chinese-news-site-that-exposed-fake-news-problem/|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
On 27 July 2020, [[Egypt]] sentenced five women to two years in prison over TikTok videos. One of the women had encouraged other women to try and earn money on the platform, another woman was sent to prison for dancing. The court also imposed a fine of 300,000 [[Egyptian pound]]s (UK£14,600) on each defendant.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/27/egypt-jails-women-for-two-years-over-tiktok-videos|title=Egypt jails women for two years over TikTok videos|access-date=27 July 2020|website=The Guardian|date=27 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727171211/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jul/27/egypt-jails-women-for-two-years-over-tiktok-videos|archive-date=27 July 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
Indiana Attorney General [[Todd Rokita]] filed lawsuits against TikTok, alleging that the platform exposed inappropriate content to minors. The complaint also alleges that TikTok "intentionally falsely reports the frequency of sexual content, nudity, and mature/suggestive themes" on their platform which made the app's "12-plus" age ratings on the Apple and Google app stores deceptive.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McDaniel |first1=Justine |title=Indiana sues TikTok, claiming it exposes children to harmful content |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/12/07/tiktok-lawsuit-indiana-china/ |newspaper=Washington Post |access-date=17 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=TikTok sued by Indiana over security and safety concerns |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-63897751 |website=BBC News |date=8 December 2022}}</ref> | |||
===Tencent lawsuits=== | |||
Tencent's WeChat platform has been accused of blocking Douyin's videos.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://asiatimes.com/article/tencent-and-toutiao-come-out-swinging-at-each-other/|title=Tencent and Toutiao come out swinging at each other|access-date=11 October 2018|archive-date=24 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210524231909/https://asiatimes.com/2018/06/tencent-and-toutiao-come-out-swinging-at-each-other/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.todayonline.com/world/tencent-sues-toutiao-alleged-defamation-demands-1-yuan-and-apology|title=Tencent sues Toutiao for alleged defamation, demands 1 yuan and apology|work=[[Today (Singapore newspaper)|TODAYonline]]|access-date=11 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011133612/https://www.todayonline.com/world/tencent-sues-toutiao-alleged-defamation-demands-1-yuan-and-apology|archive-date=11 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In April 2018, Douyin sued Tencent and accused it of spreading false and damaging information on its WeChat platform, demanding [[CNY|CN¥]]1 million in compensation and an apology. In June 2018, Tencent filed a lawsuit against [[Toutiao]] and Douyin in a Beijing court, alleging they had repeatedly defamed Tencent with negative news and damaged its reputation, seeking a nominal sum of CN¥1 in compensation and a public apology.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tencent-toutiao-lawsuit/tencent-sues-toutiao-for-alleged-defamation-demands-1-yuan-and-apology-idUSKCN1IX4MB|title=Tencent sues Toutiao for alleged defamation, demands 1 yuan and apology|last=Jiang|first=Sijia|publisher=Reuters|date=1 June 2018|access-date=11 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011133631/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tencent-toutiao-lawsuit/tencent-sues-toutiao-for-alleged-defamation-demands-1-yuan-and-apology-idUSKCN1IX4MB|archive-date=11 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In response, Toutiao filed a complaint the following day against Tencent for allegedly [[unfair competition]] and asking for CN¥90 million in economic losses.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Yijun|first=Yin|date=4 June 2018|title=Tencent and ByteDance Take Ongoing Feud to Court|work=[[Sixth Tone]]|url=https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1002406/tencent-and-bytedance-take-ongoing-feud-to-court|access-date=10 October 2020|archive-date=25 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125202442/https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1002406/tencent-and-bytedance-take-ongoing-feud-to-court|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
=== Data transfer class action lawsuit === | |||
In November 2019, a [[class action]] lawsuit was filed in California that alleged that TikTok transferred personally identifiable information of U.S. persons to servers located in China owned by Tencent and [[Alibaba Group|Alibaba]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-50640110 |title=TikTok sent user data to China, US lawsuit claims |date=3 December 2019 |work=BBC News |access-date=5 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205021729/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-50640110|archive-date=5 December 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/california-class-action-lawsuit-accuses-tiktok-of-illegally-harvesting-data-and-sending-it-to-china |title=California Class-Action Lawsuit Accuses TikTok of Illegally Harvesting Data and Sending It to China |last=Montgomery |first=Blake |date=2 December 2019 |work=[[The Daily Beast]] |access-date=4 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191203142027/https://www.thedailybeast.com/california-class-action-lawsuit-accuses-tiktok-of-illegally-harvesting-data-and-sending-it-to-china |archive-date=3 December 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/f/614859/tiktok-lawsuit-privacy-china-cfius-investigation-global-internet/ |title=TikTok's second lawsuit in a week brings a US ban a shade closer |last=Chen |first=Angela |date=5 December 2019 |work=[[MIT Technology Review]] |access-date=5 December 2019 |archive-date=22 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822023725/https://www.technologyreview.com/2019/12/05/75079/tiktok-lawsuit-privacy-china-cfius-investigation-global-internet/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The lawsuit also accused ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, of taking user content without their permission. The plaintiff of the lawsuit, college student Misty Hong, downloaded the app but said she never created an account. She realized a few months later that TikTok has created an account for her using her information (such as biometrics) and made a summary of her information. The lawsuit also alleged that information was sent to Chinese tech giant [[Baidu]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://gdpr.report/news/2019/12/04/privacy-tiktok-found-secretly-transferring-user-data-to-china/ |title=#Privacy: TikTok found secretly transferring user data to China |first=Meera |last=Narendra |date=4 December 2019 |access-date=25 May 2020 |archive-date=22 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822023718/https://gdpr.report/news/2019/12/04/privacy-tiktok-found-secretly-transferring-user-data-to-china/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In July 2020, twenty lawsuits against TikTok were merged into a single class action lawsuit in the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Allyn|first=Bobby|date=4 August 2020|title=Class-Action Lawsuit Claims TikTok Steals Kids' Data And Sends It To China|work=NPR|url=https://www.npr.org/2020/08/04/898836158/class-action-lawsuit-claims-tiktok-steals-kids-data-and-sends-it-to-china|url-status=live|access-date=4 August 2020|archive-date=22 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822023655/https://www.npr.org/2020/08/04/898836158/class-action-lawsuit-claims-tiktok-steals-kids-data-and-sends-it-to-china}}</ref> In February 2021, TikTok agreed to pay $92 million to settle the class action lawsuit.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Allyn|first=Bobby|date=25 February 2021|title=TikTok To Pay $92 Million To Settle Class-Action Suit Over 'Theft' Of Personal Data|work=[[NPR]]|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/02/25/971460327/tiktok-to-pay-92-million-to-settle-class-action-suit-over-theft-of-personal-data|access-date=26 February 2021|archive-date=26 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210226180745/https://www.npr.org/2021/02/25/971460327/tiktok-to-pay-92-million-to-settle-class-action-suit-over-theft-of-personal-data|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
=== Voice actor lawsuit === | |||
In May 2021, Canadian voice actor Bev Standing filed a lawsuit against TikTok over the use of her voice in the [[text-to-speech]] feature without her permission. The lawsuit was filed in the [[Southern District of New York]]. TikTok declined to comment. Standing believes that TikTok used recordings she made for the Chinese government-run [[Institute of Acoustics, Chinese Academy of Sciences|Institute of Acoustics]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Dunne|first=James|date=12 May 2021|title=Why a Canadian actor is suing social media giant TikTok's parent company|work=[[CBC News]]|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/canadian-actor-suing-tiktok-1.6024369|access-date=13 May 2021|archive-date=13 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210513024001/https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/canadian-actor-suing-tiktok-1.6024369|url-status=live}}</ref> The voice used in the feature was subsequently changed.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kastrenakes |first=Jacob |date=2021-05-25 |title=TikTok changes text-to-speech voice after voice actor sues |url=https://www.theverge.com/2021/5/25/22452815/tiktok-voice-change-text-to-speech-lawsuit |access-date=2022-08-07 |website=The Verge |language=en}}</ref> | |||
=== Market Information Research Foundation lawsuit === | |||
In June 2021, the Netherlands-based Market Information Research Foundation (SOMI) filed a €1.4 billion lawsuit on behalf of Dutch parents against TikTok, alleging that the app gathers data on children without adequate permission.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Culatto|first=John|date=2 June 2021|title=Dutch parents sue TikTok for €1.4 billion|work=[[Deutsche Welle]]|url=https://www.dw.com/en/dutch-parents-sue-tiktok-for-14-billion/a-57762350|access-date=10 June 2021}}</ref> | |||
=== Blackout Challenge lawsuits === | |||
Multiple lawsuits have been filed against TikTok, accusing the platform of hosting content that led to the death of at least seven children.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Carville |first1=Olivia |title=TikTok's Viral Challenges Keep Luring Young Kids to Their Deaths |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-11-30/is-tiktok-responsible-if-kids-die-doing-dangerous-viral-challenges |access-date=30 November 2022 |work=[[Bloomberg Businessweek]] |date=30 November 2022 |language=en}}</ref> The lawsuits claim that children died after attempting the "[[Blackout challenge]]", a TikTok trend that involves [[strangling]] or [[asphyxiating]] someone or themselves until they black out ([[passing out]]). TikTok stated that search queries for the challenge do not show any results, linking instead to protective resources, while the parents of two of the deceased argued that the content showed up on their children's TikTok feeds, without them searching for it.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Clark |first1=Mitchell |title=The TikTok 'blackout challenge' has now allegedly killed seven kids |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/7/7/23199058/tiktok-lawsuits-blackout-challenge-children-death |website=The Verge |date=7 July 2022 |access-date=8 July 2022}}</ref> | |||
===Cooperation with law enforcement=== | |||
In June 2023 ''[[The New Zealand Herald]]'' reported that TikTok, working in cooperation with both New Zealand and Australian police, deleted 340 accounts and 2,000 videos associated with criminal gangs including the [[Mongrel Mob]], [[Black Power (New Zealand gang)|Black Power]], [[Killer Beez]], the [[Comanchero Motorcycle Club|Comancheros]], [[Mongols Motorcycle Club|Mongols]], and [[Rebels Motorcycle Club|Rebels]]. TikTok had earlier drawn criticism for hosting content by organised crime groups promoting the gang lifestyle and fights. A TikTok spokesperon reiterated the platform's efforts to countering "violent" and "hateful" organisations' content and cooperating with police. [[Commissioner of Police (New Zealand)|New Zealand Police Commissioner]] [[Andrew Coster]] praised the platform for taking a "socially-responsible stance" against gangs.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Leask |first1=Anna |title=Social media giant TikTok deletes, bans thousands of NZ gang-linked accounts, videos - promises more to come |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/cancelled-social-media-giant-tiktok-deletes-bans-thousands-of-nz-gang-linked-accounts-videos-promises-more-to-come/KMZDEB77MNCOBJQLZOGXWIO4EI/ |access-date=1 July 2023 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date=29 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630060149/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/cancelled-social-media-giant-tiktok-deletes-bans-thousands-of-nz-gang-linked-accounts-videos-promises-more-to-come/KMZDEB77MNCOBJQLZOGXWIO4EI/ |archive-date=30 June 2023|url-status=live}}</ref> | |||
==See also== | |||
* [[List of most-followed TikTok accounts]] | |||
* [[Musical.ly]] | |||
* [[Timeline of social media]] | |||
==Notes== | |||
{{notelist}} | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{ | {{reflist}} | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
* [https://www.tiktok.com/en/ Official website] {{in lang|en}} | * [https://www.tiktok.com/en/ Official website] {{in lang|en}} | ||
* [https://www.douyin.com/ Douyin] {{in lang|zh}} | * [https://www.douyin.com/ Douyin] {{in lang|zh}} | ||
{{TikTok navbox}} | |||
{{Online social networking}} | |||
{{Most popular social media accounts}} | |||
{{Authority control}} | |||
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